Executive Summary ES-05
Executive Summary - 24 CFR91.200(c), 91.220(b)
HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN

1. Introduction

The Consolidated Plan for the City of Middletownhas been prepared in response to a consolidated process developed by the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Community DevelopmentBlock Grants (CDBG) program.

This Consolidated Plan outlines housing, community and economic developmentneeds, priorities, strategies, and projects that will be undertaken by the City of Irving withthe funds that the City receives from the U.S. Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD). As an entitlement community, the City receives an annualshare of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and through theButler County HOME Consortium, Home Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. Inorder to receive its CDBG entitlement, the City must submit this ConsolidatedPlan and First Year Annual Action Plan to HUD. The funds are intended toprovide lower and moderate-income households with viable communities, includingdecent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economicopportunities. Eligible activities include community facilities andimprovements, housing rehabilitation and preservation, development activities,public services, economic development, planning, and program administration.

The Consolidated Plan serves the following functions: 1) A planning documentfor the City, which builds upon a citizen participation process; 2) Anapplication for federal funds under HUD’s formula grant programs; 3) A strategyto be followed in carrying out HUD programs; and, 4) An action plan thatprovides a basis for assessing performance.

2. Summary of the objectives andoutcomes identified in the Plan Needs Assessment Overview

Neighborhood revitalization and poverty are critical concerns in Middletown. The medianhousehold income in the City is $35,853, which is 67.5 percent of the nationalfigure of $53,046. Thus, 23.0 percent of the population lives in poverty, afigure well above the national 15.4 percent.

This low income level and high rate of poverty is reflected in thedeterioration and disinvestment in properties across the City. Thus,neighborhood revitalization is critical to improving the City’s situation andresources have been and will continue to be allocated to this effort.Neighborhoods are the basic building blocks of our community. One neighborhoodby itself should have all the elements of a village with housing, parks,schools, shopping, employment and civic uses. The City has embarked upon a new,more comprehensive strategy to overcome market forces. Given the condition ofsome neighborhoods, reliance on the private sector to turn undesirableneighborhoods around is an unlikely strategy. Public Consolidated Plan MIDDLETOWN 1 OMB ControlNo: 2506-0117 (exp. 07/31/2015 sector leaderships and incentives are beingemployed to entice private sector participation through a comprehensivemultiyear revitalization process. Blighting influences are being removed andhousing units are required meet the minimum building code before aneighborhood’s revitalization process is concluded. This strategy requires aproactive approach and a concentration of resources into select neighborhoods,and this deliberate concentration of resources has resulted in significantprogress in the targeted neighborhoods.

The needs in the target neighborhoods are numerous and varied. The principalneeds are: 1) housing rehabilitation for both owner and renter units, 2)improve/revitalize neighborhoods, 3) preventing homelessness and assisting thehomeless, 4) providing a range of services and assistance to low-incomeresidents, 5) maintaining and improving public facilities and infrastructure,and 6) ensuring fair housing opportunities.

The City believes that rehabilitation of both rental and owner housing units isa High priority, as these efforts keep people in affordable housing and,especially for extremely low-income and elderly homeowners may serve to preventhomelessness. Similarly, Homeless activities, ranging from providing emergencyshelter to preventing homelessness receive a High priority. Thus, the City willfocus on multiple efforts including rental rehabilitation, as well as homeownerrepair to provide affordable housing and in many instances preventhomelessness.

While the City supports programs for affordable homeownership, theopportunities for homeownership among the City’s low-income residents arelimited by the poor economy, job uncertainty, strict lending criteria andsignificant down payment requirements. Homeowner loan programs are still givena High priority ranking, however, and efforts will be made to assist thoseseeking to purchase a home.

Because of the difficult economic situation in the City’s low/mod Census Tractsthe provision of Public Service Programs receives a High priority rank. Theneed for a wide range of services, including programs for seniors and youth,feeding programs, and child care, is present in each of these areas.

Public Facilities and Infrastructure are very important to the City and receivea High rating.

Fair Housing is a concern in the City and also receives a High ranking.

Market conditions, especially increasing rental costs, low incomes, andstagnant wages create the needs for the rental programs, while high downpayment requirements and stringent loan standards create a need for home buyerassistance programs.

The City’s homelessness strategy is a multi-pronged approach the emphasizeshomelessness prevention, immediate assistance and rapid re-housing; support forpersons and families as they transition to economic and housing stability; andefforts to prevent those persons from returning to homelessness. The City of Middletown participatesin the Butler County Housing and Homeless Coalition which consists of a widearray of individuals and entities that directly and indirectly serve homelesspersons. Through a variety of coordinating councils, networks and otherorganizational structures the housing needs and priorities for the homeless areanalyzed. The integration and coordination of resources and programs ensuresthat housing and support services are broad based, comprehensive and organized.The County’s Housing and Homeless Coalition meets on a regular basis and hasactively sought program funds in a collaborative manner. Consolidated Plan MIDDLETOWN 2 OMB ControlNo: 2506-0117 (exp. 07/31/2015) The City’s anti-poverty strategy is part of aneffort to create jobs and improve the local economy. The creation of economicopportunities is not an isolated solution to alleviating poverty, and the Cityalso works with community partners to identify educational, life skills andtraining needs and provide opportunities for self-empowerment that will enablelow- and moderate-income residents to become and continue to be self-sufficientand economically independent. These programs have an immediate impact onprimary needs of the low-income population and the causes of poverty.

3. Evaluation of past performance

Past performance and activities were a part of formulating the strategies forthis Plan. The City’s needs are many and significant, and the success ofprevious programs and the need to complete some already under way did influenceboth public and staff perceptions of needs and priorities. The Self-Evaluationsections of our recent CAPERs describe our progress in providing decent, safe,and affordable housing, in the demolition of dilapidated structures, theimprovement of the housing stock through our code enforcement program and theprovision of important public services.

4. Summary of citizen participationprocess and consultation process

As noted in PR-10, Consultation, well publicized public hearings were held ontwo occasions – November 19, 2014 in the Community Revitalization DepartmentConference Room in City Hall, One Donham Plaza,and on February 3, 2015 at a City Council meeting. These sessions were part ofa concerted effort to obtain as much public input as possible in the course ofPlan preparation.

The City also conducted two focus group meetings, held on November 19 and 20,2014 at City Hall. Representatives from community service organizationsattended one session, and members of the housing development and real estatecommunity attended another. Active participation by attendees at both meetingsprovided insight into community and neighborhood needs.

The City also prepared a Web-based community survey to obtain additional publicinput. The survey was available on the City Website from October 18 untilNovember 27, 2014, and hard copies were made available at the first public hearings,and at the focus group meetings. The City did not receive any completedsurveys.

The City ensures that all Public Hearings are held at times and locationsconvenient to potential and actual beneficiaries and with accommodations forpersons with disabilities. Upon request, in advance of the meeting, the Citywill attempt to make accommodations for those individuals in need of specialassistance. The City also provides technical assistance workshops for allinterested in the programs.

5. Summary of public comments

The City received program and priority ideas from the public during the focusgroup meetings. However, no comments were received during the 30-day publicreview period.

6. Summary of comments or views notaccepted and the reasons for not accepting them
Consolidated Plan MIDDLETOWN 3 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 07/31/2015) TheCity accepted all comments that were offered.

MIDDLETOWN CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
TUESDAY, February 3, 2015
BUSINESS MEETING- 5:30 pm – COUNCIL CHAMBERS – LOWER LEVEL 1. MOMENTOF MEDITATION/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG 2.
ROLL CALL

3. PUBLIC HEARING- HUD Program Year 2015 Annual Action Plan

4. CITIZEN COMMENTS, GUESTS, ORGANIZATIONS’ REPORTS

5. CITY MANAGER REPORTS Butler County RTA

6. CONSENT AGENDA. . . Matters listed under the Consent Agenda are consideredto be routine and will be enacted by one motion and one vote of consent. Therewill be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, thatitem will be removed and considered separately.
(a) Approve City Council Minutes: January 6 & January 20, 2015
(b) Receive and File Board & Commission Minutes: Board of Zoning Appeals-September 3 & December 10, 2014 Board of Health- November 11 & December9, 2014 Planning Commission- December 10, 2014 Library Board- December 16, 2014Park Board- January 5, 2015
(c) Accept Resignation of Cemetery Board Members: Jason and Sharron Whipple
(d) Confirm Board & Commission Appointment: Cemetery Board – Corbett Cox
(e) Confirm Personnel Appointments: Contracts Administrator- Michelle EvansPart-Time Bus Driver- Regina Louise Angel-Lill

COUNCIL COMMENTS LEGISLATION

1. Ordinance No. O2015-06, an ordinance enacting Middletown Codified OrdinanceChapter 1036 (Café Seating; Banners and Non-Permanent Amenities Installedwithin Public Right-of-Way). (2nd Reading)

2. Resolution No. R2015-01, a resolution requesting the Auditor of ButlerCounty and the Auditor of Warren County to advance to the Treasurer of the Cityof Middletown, Ohio, taxes assessed and collected for and on behalf of the Cityof Middletown, Ohio and declaring an emergency.

3. Resolution No. R2015-02, a resolution authorizing a transfer from thegeneral fund to the Nuisance Abatement Fund, as an advance subject toreimbursement, and declaring an emergency

4. Resolution No. R2015-03, a resolution to make adjustments to appropriationsfor current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Middletown, Countiesof Butler and Warren, State of Ohio, for the period ending December 31, 2015and declaring an emergency. (Nuisance Abatement Fund)

5. Ordinance No. O2015-08, an ordinance establishing a procedure for andauthorizing an amendment to the contract with Metropolitan EnvironmentalServices Inc. for remediation of the STM Wrenn Paper facility and declaring anemergency.

6. Ordinance No. O2015-09, an ordinance establishing a procedure for andauthorizing a second amendment to a contract with ATC Associates for demolitionand remediation of the Wrenn Papermill Site and declaring an emergency.

7. Ordinance No. O2015-10, an ordinance authorizing the submission of anApplication for Federal Assistance, a Consolidated Plan and a Projected Use ofFunds, under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, asamended for fiscal year 2015 and declaring an emergency. (No action requesteduntil February 20, 2015)

8. Ordinance No. O2015-11, an ordinance repealing Ordinance No. O2014-65,establishing pay ranges and certain benefits for employee classifications inthe Municipal Court. (1st Reading)

9. Ordinance No. O2015-12, an ordinance amending the pay ordinance, OrdinanceNo. O2014-63. (1st Reading)

10. Resolution No. R2015-04, a resolution authorizing a transfer from theGeneral Fund to the Termination Pay Fund, the Auto & Gas Tax Fund and tothe Capital Improvement Fund. (1st Reading)

11. Resolution No. R2015-05 a resolution to make adjustments to appropriationsfor current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Middletown, Countiesof Butler and Warren, State of Ohio, for the period ending December 31, 2015.(Termination Pay Fund and Capital Improvement Fun) (1st Reading)