TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Katherine Doherty, City Engineer
Marzena Laskowska, Senior Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Conduct a Public Hearing Regarding the Proposed Use of Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG) for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 as Required by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Consideration of a Resolution Authorizing the Allocation of CDBG Funds (No Budget Impact) (Public Works Director Lee).
(Estimated Time: 15 Mins.)
A) CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING
B) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 25-0010
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council conduct a Public Hearing and adopt Resolution No. 25-0010 authorizing the use of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 CDBG funds in the amount of $102,256, plus $11,516 in unallocated CDBG funds available for reprogramming, for a total available CDBG funding level of $113,772 to implement the construction of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps throughout the City. This proposed project is consistent with the City’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Plan.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Each fiscal year, the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) notifies the City of an estimated amount of its annual CDBG allocation. The City may request reimbursement for eligible expenditures of its total CDBG allocation. Estimated expenditures of $100,000 per year have been approved as part of the current 5-Year CIP Budget.
The City’s actual 2024-2025 CDBG amount is $102,256, plus unallocated CDBG funds in the amount of $11,516. Additionally, the City’s estimated 2025-2026 CDBG allocation may be added to this project when available after July 1, 2025. With the inclusion of this allocation, the project budget has been increased by approximately $100,000, to a total of $213,772. There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action at this time.
BACKGROUND:
The mission of the CDBG Program is to improve the quality of life for low- and moderate-income persons, aid in the prevention of neighborhood deterioration, and meet other urgent community development needs. As part of this program, CDBG funds may be used to improve the mobility and accessibility of disabled persons and senior adults by removing architectural barriers that impede paths of travel.
The City of Manhattan Beach has participated in the HUD CDBG Program, administered by the LACDA, for the past 25 years. On July 5, 2023, the City Council approved a Participating City Cooperation Agreement with LACDA to continue its participation in the Los Angeles Urban County CDBG Program for a three-year period beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2027.
DISCUSSION:
The City typically uses its CDBG funds to ensure compliance with ADA requirements. Since 2017, the City has successfully used its annual CDBG funds to install or upgrade approximately 96 ramps to comply with ADA requirements. The City’s current 5-Year CIP adopted by City Council identifies the continuation of this initiative with CDBG funds. It is worth noting that due to the economic profile of Manhattan Beach, the only qualifying uses identified for CDBG funding are related to accessibility improvements for the disabled.
The proposed project for the next round of CDBG-funds is the Installation of ADA-Compliant Curb Ramps Construction Project - Cycle 4. The project will increase pedestrian mobility and promote safety improvements. The proposed total CDBG project budget of $213,772 will cover the cost to upgrade approximately 10 to 15 accessible curb ramps (Proposed Location Map attached). These locations prioritize intersections near residential areas, local schools, and prevailing walking routes to schools. Nine of these locations were previously approved by City Council for the ADA-Compliant Curb Ramps Construction Project - Cycle 3 as alternative bid items. The remaining six identified locations would complete the ADA pathway route along these nine previously approved locations.
The Resolution identifies the next proposed CDBG Project, funding amount, and staff’s delegated authority to make minor adjustments, if necessary, to the Project that may occur due to minor variations in CDBG programmatic requirements, CDBG funding level allocation changes, and other administrative matters, as may be directed by LACDA. Therefore, staff recommends that City Council conduct the public hearing and adopt the attached resolution.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
In order to comply with federal regulations, the public was afforded a minimum of 30-day notice of this Public Hearing to provide an opportunity to comment on the City’s proposed use for the CDBG Program funds. The Public Hearing Notice was published on December 12, 2024, in The Beach Reporter and posted on the bulletin boards at City Hall, Joslyn Community Center, and Manhattan Heights Community Center on December 11, 2024.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Class 1(c) categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301, Existing Facilities of the State CEQA Guidelines. Thus, no further environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 25-0010
2. Notice of Public Hearing
3. Location Map
4. PowerPoint Presentation