The Henderson City Council has a Special Meeting on Monday, 15 October 2012 12:00 Noon in the R. G. (Chick) Young, Jr. Council Chambers, Municipal Building on 134 Rose Avenue, Henderson, North Carolina.
The agenda is as follows:
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
III. PUBLIC HEARING
a) Consideration of CM12-14, Community Development Block Grant Catalyst Program.
? Public Hearing
? CM 12-14
IV. ADJOURNMENT
Download the full agenda details here: 20121015_coh_agenda_packet (5 pages)
Every tax payer needs to read this agenda packet–what’s unbelievable is that they seem to think that grant would help Henderson. God help us.
If the grant money is out there for the purposes of city improvements, why not use it, and it all sounds like good things. Sure there’s other possible ways to use this money, if anyone has ideas of alternative uses for the grant feel free to make suggestions. Reminder, that this grant as most grants, must meet certain guidelines.
To my understanding the guidelines for this grant are:
from: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/sustainable_housing_communities/Six_Livability_Principles
1. Provide more transportation choices.
Develop safe, reliable and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote public health.
2. Promote equitable, affordable housing.
Expand location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races and ethnicities to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation.
3. Enhance economic competitiveness.
Improve economic competitiveness through reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs by workers as well as expanded business access to markets.
4. Support existing communities.
Target federal funding toward existing communities—through such strategies as transit-oriented, mixed-use development and land recycling—to increase community revitalization, improve the efficiency of public works investments, and safeguard rural landscapes.
5. Coordinate policies and leverage investment.
Align federal policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding and increase the accountability and effectiveness of all levels of government to plan for future growth, including making smart energy choices such as locally generated renewable energy.
6. Value communities and neighborhoods.
Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities by investing in healthy, safe, and walkable neighborhoods—rural, urban, or suburban.
In my opinion item 2 appears to be the pivotal point. More housing is not needed at this time–affordable or otherwise.
There are too many houses for sale and no jobs. In my opinion, more rentals and/ or subsidized housing should be at the bottom of any consideration at this time.
I guess you didn’t actually read the document then, the housing part of this grant is specifically for counseling to help people purchase their first home, not anything to do with rental or subsidized.
I based my comment on the #2. provided by you in your 9:13 am post above.