Submitted By
Tammie Grossman, Development Customer Services Director
Reviewed By
LKS
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement with Cook County and Other Regional Governmental Entities for the 2020-2025 Assessment of Fair Housing in an Amount Not to Exceed $3,500 and Authorizing its Execution
End
Overview
Overview
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires Federal Grant entitlement communities, such as Oak Park, to produce an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH). HUD encourages local entities to collaborate on a regional Assessment of Fair Housing, which would offer potential benefits to Oak Park such as more efficiently and effectively meeting federal fair housing requirements resulting in cost-savings. The Village would partner with Cook County government, who is the lead agency for this AFH collaboration.
Body
Staff Recommendation
Approve the resolution authorizing the signing of a regional Assessment of Fair Housing multi-party intergovernmental collaboration agreement with Cook County and other governmental entities. Oak Park’s contribution to the AFH collaboration is $3,500. The total cost of the AFH, with all participating partners, is $327,000.00.
Fiscal Impact
Cook County will expect a payment of $3,500. These funds will be paid using Village CDBG Administration funds (general ledger account 2083-46201-101-510501)
Background
In the summer of 2015, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a new rule on affirmatively furthering fair housing. This rule required Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) entitlement communities, such as Oak Park, to produce an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH), which would replace the previous Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, or “AI.” Later, this rule was suspended and it continues to be suspended at this time.
HUD requires CDBG entitlement communities to affirmatively further fair housing and has encouraged such entitlements to collaborate on a regional AFH. Collaboration offers numerous potential benefits, including the following: 1.) Oak Park can more efficiently and effectively meet federal fair housing requirements, often at a cost-savings compared to the previous fair housing analysis; and 2.) An AFH for a large portion of Cook County allows participants to utilize the ongoing work of high-capacity civic organizations to define and assess equity related topics at a regional scale, while also preserving the history and uniqueness of the Village.
Since the Village is a member of the Cook County HOME Consortium, Cook County requested that the Village of Oak Park join such a regional collaboration, with Enterprise Community Partners being key advisors, and with help from other regional planning agencies to include the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Metropolitan Planning Council, and the Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance.
Alternatives
The Village could create our own AFH but by combining efforts with other intergovernmental partners, the Village is expected to develop more robust and interconnected policies and gain cost savings by participating in the development of one regional AFH. HUD recommends a regional effort.
Previous Board Action
On October 16, 2017, the Village Board passed a resolution both approving an individual contract with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), as the official regional planning organization, in the amount of $3,500 and authorizing the signing of the multi-party intergovernmental collaboration agreement for a regional AFH with the Cook County government being the lead agency.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
N/A
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
The goal is to submit the final AFH to HUD in March, 2020.
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
As a member of the Cook County HOME Program Consortium, the Village would be submitting the AFH to HUD in partnership with Cook County and many other CDBG entitlement communities and public housing agencies, including the Oak Park Housing Authority.
Performance Management (MAP) Alignment
A Governance Priority established for the Neighborhood Services Division of the Development Customer Services Department is “CDBG Administration.” Fair Housing is tied to the CDBG Program.