City's $2.144 Million NSP-1 Activities Score Card
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: City Manager
Forum Description: Discuss the city manager administration including all city departments.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3177
Printed Date: Nov 25 2024 at 8:16am
Topic: City's $2.144 Million NSP-1 Activities Score Card
Posted By: Nelson Self
Subject: City's $2.144 Million NSP-1 Activities Score Card
Date Posted: Aug 01 2010 at 11:40pm
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Date Application Submitted to HUD: November 15, 2008
HUD Formula Allocation Funding: $2,144,000+
Date HUD Application Approved: 2009
Time To Commit HUD Funds: 18 Months
Eligible Geographic Areas: Citywide
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
1) Property Acquisition/Rehabilitation/Resale: $1,496,096 (20 Vacant, Foreclosed Homes)
Households Earning 0% To 50% Of Median Family Income: $536.096
Households Earning Over 50% To 120% Of Median Family Income: $960,000
2) Residential Property Demoliton: $433,847 (54 Vacant, Dilapidated Homes)
3) Program Administration: $214,437 (Salaries, Fringe Benefits, Etc.)
4) Downtown Commercial Property Acquisition/Demolition: " NONE "
In reviewing information posted on the City's website, several questions arise including:
1) NSP-1 application DID NOT include Downtown Commercial Acquisition/Demolition;
2) original Jan-April 2010 Progress Report shows $100,000+/- purchase of 1300 block Central Avenue vacant, blighted church;'
3) new May-June 2010 Progress Report DELETES item #2 acquisition cost;
4) what other City funds utilized to purchase vacant, blighted storefront church (see item #2);
5) original NSP-1 application states TWENTY (20) vacant, foreclosed homes to be purchased, rehabilitated and resold;
6) May-June 2010 Progress Report reduces item #5 production from 20 vacant, foreclosed homes to only ELEVEN (11).
7) relative to item #6, how will funding for NINE (9) fewer vacant, foreclosed homes be spent,
8) maximum dollar amount to be spent acquiring any given house (Suggest $80,000).
9) immediately cease spending well over $120,000 to acquire vacant, foreclosed homes.
10) immediately cease spending well over $200,000 to acquire and rehab vacant, foreclosed homes.
11) maximum dollar amount to be spent on rehabilitating any given house (Suggest $30,000).
12) maximum limit on the total expenditure to acquire/rehabilitate any given house (Suggest $110,000).
13) maximum dollar value of loss (SUBSIDY) City will incur selling any given house (Suggest $15,000).
14) how eventually completed houses be marketed for sale (Suggest Middletown Board of REALTORS).
15) all Middletown Board of REALTORS members be allowed to sell distressed homes to the City.
16) only 30+ of the 54 vacant, dilapidated homes have been demolished.
17) what is timetable to complete the demolition activity.
18) how much additonal Program Administration expense will be incurred via (PROGRAM DELIVERY).
Original Jan-April 2010 Progress Report: Commercial Property Acquisition/Demolition ($280,000+)
1325 Central Ave 1329 Central Ave 810 Verity Pkwy 2818 Verity Pkwy
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Replies:
Posted By: Nelson Self
Date Posted: Aug 02 2010 at 12:11pm
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I'm told that three (3) frequent contributors to MiddletownUSA attended last Monday evening's meeting with two City Council members. I'm further told that Dan Picard and Larry Mulligan, also City Council members, were present as well.
This MiddletownUSA contributor (a straight-forward, accurate and honest person), stated that the City's up-to-date status report on the NSP-1 grant is not what they were told by one of the City Council members only seven days ago. If so, this City Council member needs to get their facts straight before making inaccurate public comments about NSP-1.
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Posted By: wasteful
Date Posted: Aug 02 2010 at 1:27pm
That's funny I heard it was the Nelson Self show by Proxy or surrogate and that some didn't appreciate it very much.
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Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Aug 02 2010 at 2:01pm
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I was there--heard it all.
Ms.Moon dominated the discussion with HUD ?s, and they were both pointed and appropriate.
With 4 Councilmembers present, it would have been nice to discuss a variety of topics, however the time was limited to mostly this very important topic.
IMO what everyone has now learned, is that our Councilmembers really have no grip or accurate knowledge of our HUD funding(s), where it is, how it has been used, and how much is left. Credit to Ms.Moon, possibly through Mr.Self---there are a lot of very valid ?s and situations that need to be fully and accurately answered.
Granted--Mr.Adkins inherited a very messy situation that may well have been poorly administered and/or improper. Hopefully he will remain open in disclosing the past,current and future details and directions. Don't agree with him on everything, however I trust him to be honest and transparent. All that I could want.
The Pendleton and Duncan situations should be very closely scrutinized, though Council debates and discusses Verdin tomorrow, even though the appropriations and work started long ago. So--they will be "approving" something that has already been done? Why in this backwards order? Neither Duncan or Pendleton has created any jobs in this town, and plans are for few, these entities have recieved probably $1,500,000 in grant $$, prime real estate and "forgivable" loans, while long-term adjacent businesses are left to struggle. It is well-known that aiding EXISTING local businesses(that ALREADY EMPLOY locals) provides far less risk and far greater reward.
Look for ED/Admin to make a move b4 Planning Comm.in Sept. seeking signage ordinance relief to primarily benefit the big players in the far east end development district. Probably no consideration or easing for those west of Cin.-Dayton Rd. who have been issued violation letters. Odd that the Towne Mall area is over-run with signage violations, but no letters have been issued in that area.
This admin has been left to run amok by a largely overwhelmed Council.
Hopefully Council can get a better grip and assume proper control of our government and it's actions.
Tomorrow night's session will tell plenty.
IMO bike paths, dog parks and art centers are merely very expensive distractions from our core issues.
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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Aug 03 2010 at 8:40am
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If one does the math, even if this new art center achieves all that is expected, after several years, it will only be bringing between 35 to 50 visitors to town one Saturday per month. This is hardly enough to justify a hot dog stand, let alone the expenditure of nearly one half million of taxpayers’ dollars. So, now we have the problem of not only that City Council MUST vote “NO”, but what shall they do about the funds that have already been expended WITHOUT authorization? We have two practicing attornies on city council, and another member with a couple of years of law school. They all know that there are limits on the amounts of public funds that can be spent without authorization from council, and the rehab of the Ross Building has clearly exceeded this amount., and certainly appears to have been wasted.
WHAT shall happen next? Will Middletown be a city of laws...or a plutocracy??? ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |