Over the past month, a lot has been discussed at Minot City Council meetings, with regards to the projects and overall direction of the CDBG-DR National Disaster Resilience Program. John Zakian, Disaster Resilience Grant Program Manager & Chief Resilience Offi cer, made those presentations where broad updates were provided, and specifi c information was included on the funding allocated and spent-to-date on the many efforts.
required in the application. As a result, some projects received less funding and some projects were eliminated because adequate funding was not available for all of the original projects.
During these presentations, the reminder was made to the City Council, and for the public to understand, how the city got to the exact allocations laid out in the $74.3 million NDR Program Action Plan.
Minot submitted a phase two application in 2015, requesting $174.3 million for about a dozen separate projects. Part of the HUD requirement was to include a scenario where the funding wasn’t all granted, and identify which projects would get funded and at what levels of funding. The City vetted this alternate scenario with the public and NDR stakeholders in meetings held before the application was submitted. In mid-2016, HUD notifi ed the city their NDRC application had been awarded $74.3 million. The grant agreement between the city and HUD refl ected the alternative funding and project scenario
For example, the city asked for $33 million to help with acquisitions, relocation and demolition of fl oodimpacted properties. In the end, just over $20 million was allocated for this category. The full list of all these projects can be seen by going to the city’s CDBG-DR website, at cdbg.minotnd.org, and clicking on Action Plan.
To review the information presented at the City Council meetings, search for the City of Minot’s YouTube page and then click on the NDR Update to City Council – Feb. 18, 2020 link. It is anticipated that these discussions will continue to occur, as requested by the City Council. Recapping the Finances and
To date, the major projects are currently sitting at the following allocated, spent, encumbered, currently unassigned categories.
Financial Update on NDR Projects
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Acquisition Program
• Overall, the City of Minot has acquired 144 properties to date: 80 properties using NDRCDBG funds and 64 properties using State Water Commission Funds; 7 properties included in the 80 NDR properties were partially funded with State Water Commission funds.
These properties are needed for on-going or upcoming flood mitigation projects.
• The city has demolished 126 properties in the first three buyout areas. The 2019 Rounds 2 and 3 Structure Demolition and Site Restoration projects have been completed and the Round 4 project will be completed in summer 2020.
• The city’s structure and salvage auctions continue, and all sales generate program income which will be fed directly back into acquisition program future purchases.
Affordable Housing
• 67 people have applied to the Resilient Homebuyer Program: 33 remain in the process of review and eligibility verification through a lender of their choice, 28 applied but were not eligible or withdrew, six have closed to date. The program continues accepting applications.
• The Minot Housing Authority (MHA) executed a contract in February with EAPC for architectural services on the Milton Young Towers resiliency project.
• The Blu on Broadway mixed-use affordable rental housing facility will provide 42 rental units built above a ground-level commercial space; the environmental review of the property is underway, which keeps the likely construction start date on target for the summer/fall 2020.
• Minot entered into a sub-recipient agreement with Lutheran Social Services Housing, Inc. to build 17 units of multi-family affordable rental housing; the future site for the affordable housing project was acquired in early January. LSS is currently drafting an RFQ for Architecture and Engineering services.
• The Minot Area Community Land Trust’s single-family affordable housing activity is anticipated to begin in spring 2020; the Disaster Recovery Office is working with the trust to provide technical assistance on HUD’s NDR regulations.
Family Shelter
• The city entered into a sub-recipient agreement with Lutheran Social Services Housing, Inc. to create a 6-unit family shelter; the future site for the family homeless shelter was acquired in January. LSS is currently drafting an RFQ for Architecture and Engineering services.
Downtown Gathering Place
• The city has moved on to the third option for a Downtown Gathering Place, located at 200 4th St. SE, just south of the Renaissance Building in the northeast section of downtown Minot. Since the landowner has expressed a current interest to sell the property, the environmental review process is underway.
City Hall
• In February, an Architectural/Engineering firm conducted an assessment of two possible buildings for a new City Hall location in downtown Minot. The council will discuss the assessment’s findings at an upcoming meeting, and at a special city council meeting on March 9 the council will tour the two buildings.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Reduce Flood Risk/ Improve Water Management
A. Buyouts / Acquisitions / Demolitions / Relocations
