ITEM TITLE:
Com Dev Director’s Report: PRICE Grant Draft Application
SUBMITTED BY: Kate Huber, Community Development Director
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: n/a
Unencumbered Balance: n/a
Funding Source: n/a
RECOMMENDATION:
N/A - Report Only
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Community Development Department staff have prepared a draft grant application for the HUD Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) program.
The draft is available on the City of Valdez Public Notice Website for public review.
The purpose of this work session is to provide additional information about the application packet and get preliminary feedback from the Planning & Zoning Commissioners. The Community Development Director will provide a presentation detailing the application.
More information can be obtained from the Community Development Department by emailing PRICE@valdezak.gov or calling 907-834-3401.
The PRICE program will provide $235 million in funding for communities across the country to preserve and revitalize manufactured housing units and support accessibility modifications, repairs, and replacement of deteriorating manufactured housing units - especially to increase accessibility and access for persons with disabilities, facilitate aging in place for older adults and increase access to affordable housing for low-income households. The program seeks to increase housing supply and affordability for people of modest means nationwide, including in urban, suburban, rural, and tribal areas.
Another important focus of the program that is relevant to Valdez is to increase resilience to extreme weather, natural hazards, and disaster events, support energy efficiency, and protect the health and safety of manufactured housing residents.
Due to the age of most mobile/manufactured housing units in Valdez, and the HUD eligibility requirements, the city’s application will focus on replacement of local units. If funded, the first phase of the program will allow no interest loans to qualifying applicants to purchase manufactured homes that will be shipped in by the city. The manufactured homes will be more suitable for local conditions and hazards including snow, wind and seismic events. Preference will be given to low-income applicants and will consider the condition of the mobile home being replaced.
A second part of the program will make manufactured homes available to low-income applicants seeking housing. This element is being designed with the intention of filling vacant spaces in existing manufactured home parks within Valdez.