2017 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) DRAFT

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' • Many issues including unemployment and foreclosures can take a toll on a person's emotional and mental health. These types of issues could be a contributing factor to abuse, addiction and homelessness. South Bend's neighborhood revitalization focus became more urgent in recent years with the onset of the national housing crisis and the resulting number of vacant and abandoned homes. This situation, coupled with an aging housing stock, created a challenging environment for neighborhoods and the community. Complementary responses including acquisition/rehabilitation, and demolition were seen as necessary and critical to achieving revitalization and assuring other investment.Therefore resources were directed toward programs that addressed those activities. Actions taken to reduce lead-based paint hazards. 91.220(k); 91.320 ' The Housing Authority of South Bend maintained a Section 8 Landlord Assistance Program in which any resident living in a Section 8 unit identified as lead contaminated and where the owner refuses to bring the home into a lead safe status, has an absolute preference on the Public Housing waiting list for the first available unit. Additionally, any pre-1978 Section 8 home that was identified during the Housing Authority's Annual Housing Quality Standards Inspection as having chipping, peeling or cracking paint had to receive and pass a clearance test by a State certified inspection. These policies significantly increased the number of affordable housing units that are lead-safe in the City.The HASB also maintains an active list of current lead safe addresses at http://www.hasbonline.com/docs/safe.pdf ' Additionally, from 2006 through 2016,the HASB received a Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Grant. In 2016, due in part to HUD reducing the amount of funds in this program by 50%, the HASB grant was not renewed. The HASB will continue to apply or support another application for additional lead hazard reduction funds to be available to St.Joseph County. Actions taken to reduce the number of poverty-level families. 91.220(k); 91.320(j) Examples of the variety of mechanisms the community has employed to address poverty included the Center for Homeless STAR (Skilled,Trained, Able, and Ready) program which incorporated job readiness, externships,job retention, and job search assistance. Another program that assists poverty-level families is Bridges Out of Poverty. Bridges Out of Poverty is a local program based on a nationally recognized model that serves to educate both the low-income individual and the employer community on how to ' work together to address issues that prevent people in poverty from becoming employed. The Employer Resource Network (ERN) is a collaboration between Michiana Bridges, the City of South ' Bend, the Community Foundation and five local employers.The group has a shared desire to increase rention in their entry-level workforce while assisting their employees solve non-workplace problems impacting their attendanace and productivity. For an under-resourced employee lacking coping skills, a CAPER 21 ' OMB Control No:2506-0117(exp.06/30/2018)