FINAL 2018 Housing & Community Development Action Plan

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of poverty by assisting participants with job readiness, externships, job retention, and job search. Bridges Out of Poverty is a local program based on a nationally recognized model that educates both the low-income individual and the business community on working together to address issues that prevent people in poverty from becoming and remaining employed. In 2014, the City of South Bend, in conjunction with the City of Mishawaka, the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce, IVY Tech Community College, WorkOne Development, and a number of local businesses launched a new ' workforce training initiative, "Supporting Manufacturers and Regional Talent" (SMART). SMART assists residents in obtaining the necessary skills to participate in a wider range of employment opportunities. Participants are trained through IVY Tech as skilled workers in manufacturing. The program helps develop a skilled workforce to meet the needs of local manufacturers. Actions planned to develop institutional structure i South Bend continues to utilize a team approach to working with its partners in implementing the , programs/projects funded through the various federal sources. The Community Investment staff regularly communicates with all sub-grantees, and meets with those entities involved in the targeted areas. Regularly scheduled meetings with the CDCs occur due to the nature of the work and the amount of funds allocated. The targeted geography approach meshes the efforts of the South Bend City departments, the CDCs, and other nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity, to broadly plan and advance the City's efforts. The HOME, CDBG and NSP funds targeted to the Near Westside and Near Northwest neighborhoods offer an opportunity for all of these entities to work together using their various areas of expertise to support the successful conclusion of the plan. ' Staff meets with an entity upon approval of a project and prior to contracting. In addition, desktop monitoring and on-site monitoring occur. The Consortium members are continually informed as to project/program status at their meetings ' during the year. Scheduled in advance of the beginning of the year, sub-grantees are aware and plan for visual and verbal updates. , The Continuum of Care members, who include the City of South Bend, meet every month to discuss program status and funding opportunities, and to address the broader issues of homelessness in the community. , Actions planned to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies The Continuum of Care is merging with the Balance of State. Local agency representatives will continue to meet monthly as a Planning Council and will have a representative on the Balance of State Board. ' The Public Housing Authority is a member of the CoC. Annual Action Plan 54 ' 2018 OMB Control No:2506-0117(exp.06/30/2018) '