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324 <br /> <br />PUBLIC HEARING: <br />CDBG <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br /> Ms. Monica Davison, representing the League of Women Voters, <br /> <br />read a statement regarding the Social Development Commission review <br />of social service agencies who request funding from the City. The <br />statement included the following recommendati~ons: 1) Agencies be <br />given four weeks to prepare budget proposals; 2) Social Development <br />.Commission agendas for all meetings, be publicized;. 3) Social Develop- <br />ment Commission reports be made available-to all interested parties; <br />and 4) Reports be reviewed by Council and agencies before being <br />released to the press. <br /> <br /> Mr. Satyendra Huja, Director of Community Development, presented <br /> <br /> the recommendations made by the Planning Commission; the Social <br /> Development Commission and the CDBG Task Force for use of the Community <br /> Development Block Grant funds for 1984-85. Mr. Huja stated that <br /> approximately $700,000 would be received from HUD to be used in the <br /> following 'areas' 1) Benefit low and modera'te income families; 2) Improve <br /> deteriorating housing; and 3) Address conditions that pose serious or <br /> immediate threat to health or welfare of the community. Mr. Huja <br /> stated that $618,16S was recommended for physical programs and $68,685 <br /> for social programs, and added that new.regulations allowed that up to <br /> 15% could now go towards social programs. <br /> <br /> Mr. Conover questioned the high administration costs involved in <br /> the physical programs. <br /> <br /> Mr. Huja responded that the administration expenses were needed <br /> <br /> to implement Housing Authority programs and to cover auditing and <br /> consulting fees. <br /> <br /> Mr. Conover requested a detailed copy of the budget, and requested. <br /> that the CDBG allocations for social programs be considered wfth the <br /> City budget. <br /> <br /> Mr. Huja explained that in order to have all programs operational <br /> by July 1, recommendations needed to be approved and sent to HUD as <br /> soon as possible, but added'that the recommendations could be amended <br /> at a~later date by Council. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck stated that he felt Council could adoot the recommendations <br /> if the agencies involved clearly understood that modifications may be <br /> made at a later date. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question by Dr. Hall on the functions of Outreach <br /> Counseling and the Youth Service Center, Mr. Huja stated that there <br /> was no overlap in the two agencies. <br /> <br /> Dr. Gunter' asked wha% steps could be taken so that a proposal for <br /> <br /> a mediation center could be prepared for funding next year. <br /> <br /> Mr. Hendrix responded that it was most important to have a <br /> commitment from Albemarle County in order for th'e mediation center to <br /> realistically operate. <br /> <br /> Mr. Fran Lawrence, representing the CDBG Task Force, stressed <br /> <br /> that the sooner Council acted on the recommendations, the sooner <br /> programs could be planned and implemented. Mr. Lawrence praised' the <br /> Task Force and the positive working relationship it had.with the <br /> Planning Commission. <br /> <br /> Mr. Huja also acknowledged the work of the Task Force. <br /> <br /> <br />