Questions from Josephine Vaughn:
The City requires public support for these requests when the amount and other
factors meet a certain threshold.
1. What is the amount
Anything over $25,000
2. What are the other factors
We are modifying the language in one of the strategies to allow for both loan
and grant options
3. What is the certain threshold?
Both the amount and language change meet the threshold
Reallocating funds from the Traffic priority area strategy addressing cyclist
and pedestrian safety to a Community and Safety Priority Strategy that would
allow for broader use of the funds for community needs. Funds available for
reallocation $10,787.50. Funds to be transferred $5,000.
1. Traffic priority strategy addressing cyclist and pedestrian safety
funds should stay in this area and none of the funds should be transferred.
The limited amount of money and the existing strategies to which it is assigned
limit the impact we could have in addressing the issues. By moving the funds
we are not saying we will not address these issues, but rather we will have
greater flexibility to address the issues.
2. The 38th St. LRT station is putting up a building with 159 units and a
50-unit building is just being completed at 28th Ave and 38th St. This means
that a minimum of 209 people (plus their families) are going to be dropped into
a TWO BLOCK SQUARE RADIUS from the train station to 28th Ave along 38th St.
The Traffic priority strategy addressing cyclist and pedestrian safety is most
important in this current situation.
This situation is being addressed at the City level with input from the
neighborhoods. There were be a number of community meetings as the 38th Street
development project progresses to field concerns and source solutions with the
neighborhood.
>From Candace: Here is some additional information. I hope this provides some
clarity:
1. Some of the money, roughly $150,000 is program income from previous
loan programs.
2. Some of the money, an additional $150,000, had been "frozen" and was
released this year.
3. The balance is from various strategies that were never executed. The
increments range from less than $300 to $36,500.
4. Any dollars previously allocated to Housing and Development must remain
in this priority area. The City requires us to spend 72% or more of our
available NRP funding on housing initiatives.
5. We are only requesting to move the funds outlined on our website. The
balance will remain under the originally assigned strategies which include
Community and Safety, Transportation and Environment and Parks.
Questions from Josephine Vaughn:
1. Why is there $150K left from previous loan programs? Did anyone try to
contact people in the neighborhood who might not have read, heard or be aware
of these funds. Previously, cards were sent from SENA to all residents with
this loan information and we always seemed to run out of funds very quickly.
Funds are contracted in set amounts for loan program based on what was
available. SENA has distributed over 4.5 million over the course of NRP1 and
NRP2 contract periods. The money that remains is primarily program income
from loans being paid back that was never rolled back into new loans or grants.
A couple of small pots remain that would have greater impact if pooled
together.
2. Why was the additional $150K frozen, what was it for, and why was it
released this year?
I am afraid I don't know why the City decided to freeze and then release the
funds. We have access to $49,000 each year for 2018, 19 and 30.
3. What were the various strategies that were never executed any why were
they not executed.
On example of a strategy that was not executed involved hiring police officers
to mitigate high speed traffic in the area by issuing tickets. This is not a
strategy that we can carry out. We have no control or authority to hire law
enforcement officers. I am sure at the time it seemed like a reasonable idea,
but it is not one that we see to fruition. Another involved conducting a
Senior Housing needs market study, but there were no funds available to act on
any recommendations that might come out of the study. These funds, equaling
$65,000 have been sitting there tied to strategies that can not be executed.
By moving them we can get creative about addressing both of these issues.
Finally, there seems to be a general impression that SENA is diverting
attention and resources away from issues that concern our neighborhoods with
this proposed plan modification when in actuality, we are moving the funds so
we can address these issues with fresh perspective and creativity, to hopefully
arrive at solutions that are relevant and make sense for our community today.
Also, we have not finalized any specific programming or entered into any
contracts with the City regarding how these funds will be spent. We will be
relying on our Community to inform the program planning process with hopes to
creating programs that reflect the needs and interests of our residents,
business and community partners. That effort will be launch in the new year.
Thanks to everyone who is paying attention to the process. I hope we will see
all of you at our Open House on December 11th from 6-8 PM at our new office
4557 34th Avenue South, next to the Bull's Horn Food and Drink.
Candace Miller Lopez
Executive Director
Standish Ericsson Neighborhood Association
612.990.5862 mobile
612.721.1601 office