1. Explain the institutional structure through which the jurisdiction will carry out its consolidated plan, including private industry, non-profit organizations, and public institutions.
DeKalb County Response:
The County employs a strategic partnership and leveraging strategy to implement Consolidated Plan activities. This method brings together a variety of entities with the most appropriate skills to address the County’s most critical needs which include: Affordable Housing, Public Infrastructure Needs, Community Facilities, Public Services, Human Services and Expanded Economic Opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons.
The role of the Community Development Department (CD) is to initiate strategic planning for the development of viable urban communities, to evaluate proposals and recommend appropriate HUD funding to ensure that the appropriate implementation strategy is in place, and to specify and monitor appropriate regulatory compliances. The CD department is also responsible for certifying consistency with the Consolidated Plan for any housing-related activities receiving HUD funds.
The Community Development Department Consolidated Plan partnership and leveraging strategy includes developing relationships with the following internal and external entities:
Over 25 non-profit public service provider agencies
A consortium of non-profit community housing development agencies and non-profit and for-profit affordable housing developers
Chief Executive Officer and staff Board of Commissioners and staff
County departments including, Planning, Finance, Purchasing, Contracting, Legal, Parks, Public Safety and Public Works
DeKalb DFACS DeKalb Board of Health
DeKalb Community Services Board
DeKalb Community Development Advisory Council DeKalb Community Relations Commission
Keep DeKalb Beautiful DeKalb Housing Authority Department of Community Affairs All municipalities in DeKalb County
All of these partners have at some point had a specific role in the implementation of Consolidated Plan programs and activities.
To implement the non-housing portions of the Consolidated Plan, such as public facility and improvements, the County will generally use its own workforce or contracts with municipalities. Most public service activities are undertaken by non-profit agencies under contract with the County.
Like the housing-related public services, many affordable housing development activities are carried out by non-profit and for-profit developers. Most developers contract with the Housing Authority for CD department funding. The Housing Authority administers construction contracts and provides implementation services for housing-related development activities under a contract with the County. The Board of Commissioners appoints the members to the DeKalb Housing Authority Board.
This partnership and leveraging strategy has worked extremely well and has resulted in the provision of many housing and many non-housing improvements for the development of viable urban communities in DeKalb County.
2. Assess the strengths and gaps in the delivery system. DeKalb County Response:
Strengths
• Periodically meeting with partners to share ideas, problem-solve, and strategize
• Community Development Advisory Committee, Board of Commissioners and Chief Executive Officer support
• Capacity Building and Training for Non-profits
• Innovative Projects/Partnerships such as the Voucher Program
• Partnering with other agencies such as the Community Services Board, other County departments, Housing Authorities, and the Board of Health
• Developing new partnerships and model programs such as the Drug Court Program
• Partnering with non-profit agencies Gaps
• Improving communication and coordination with internal and external customers for programs administered through different agencies
• Partnerships to save at-risk affordable housing stock
• Capacity of non-profit organizations
• Sustainability of funded programs
• Change in staff
• Change in population
• Long-time programs need to be evaluated
• Educating the community on needs and the impact on community, particularly affordable housing needs
3. Assess the strengths and gaps in the delivery system for public housing, including a description of the organizational relationship between the jurisdiction and the public housing agency, including the appointing authority for the commissioners or board of housing agency, relationship regarding hiring, contracting and procurement; provision of services funded by the jurisdiction; review by the
jurisdiction of proposed capital improvements as well as proposed development, demolition or disposition of public housing developments.
DeKalb County Response:
There are three public housing authorities based in DeKalb County. In addition to the DeKalb County Housing Authority, which serves the bulk of the County, there are authorities in the cities of Lithonia and Decatur. Board members for each are appointed by the local governing authority. For DeKalb, that is the DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer and Board of Commissioners and for the others it is the respective mayors in association with the Decatur City Commission and Lithonia City Council. Each authority is autonomous in its hiring, contracting, and procurement practices and policies. The County works closest with the DeKalb Authority in a number of initiatives although services are also coordinated with the others. All three authorities participate in the summer voucher program funded out of CDBG that provides financial assistance to income-eligible families to assist them with child care and enrichment activities during the summer months, and workforce development services are also made available. The County reviews and signs off on the annual plan prepared by the DeKalb Housing Authority for submission to HUD and also works closely with them on any public housing redevelopment activities, as is currently underway with their Johnson Ferry East development. Requests for non-public housing multi-family project development funding from all authorities are considered on an as-needed basis as funds are available.