TO: Urban Renewal Agency Board
THROUGH: Steve Powers, Executive Director
FROM: Kristin Retherford, Urban Development Director
SUBJECT:
title
Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area (RDURA) Strategic Project Grant Program
Ward(s): 1
Board Member(s): Kaser
Neighborhood(s): CANDO
Result Area(s): Welcoming and Livable Community.
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ISSUE:
Shall the Urban Renewal Agency approve the Guidelines for a RDURA Strategic Project Grant Program and allocate $100,000 from the RDURA Capital Improvement Grant Program FY 2018-19 $5.5M budget?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Approve Guidelines for a RDURA Strategic Project Grant Program and allocate $100,000 from the RDURA Capital Improvement Grant Program FY 2018-19 $5.5M budget.
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SUMMARY:
A Strategic Project Grant is being proposed as a new grant program to support the goals of addressing homelessness within the RDURA. These grant funds can be utilized by property owners for safety and security projects for their building and/or property.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
A grant program is identified as an eligible project in Sections 1105 and 1108 in the Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Plan.
On November 26, 2018, the Urban Renewal Agency Board approved amendments to the RDURA Plan, including the addition of Section 1110 to address Homelessness and Support of the Salem Strategic Plan.
On January 24, 2019, the Downtown Advisory Board unanimously approved recommending Agency Board support of the Strategic Program Grant Program.
There will be no operational impacts if the Strategic Program Grant is approved.
If approved, the remaining FY 2018-19 Capital Improvement Grant Program Budget of $5.5M will be reduced by $100,000, to fund the Strategic Project Grant Program.
BACKGROUND:
In response to the November 2018 approval of Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area Plan amendments to support the goals of addressing homelessness, a new grant program is proposed titled the “Strategic Project Grant”. This grant program would be separate from the Capital Improvement Grant Program in that a property owner could qualify and receive the maximum Capital Improvement Grant and still be eligible for a Strategic Project Grant.
The Strategic Project Grant is different from the Capital Improvement Grant Program in the following ways:
• Items that provide security/safety for a property outside of the building envelope are not eligible with the Capital Improvement Grant, such as fencing, gates, trash/recycling enclosures not attached to a building and security cameras.
• Strategic Project Grant Guidelines (Attachment 1) do not include a match requirement for a property owner; not because they do not result in a financial return to the property owner, but because this type of improvement can positively benefit everyone in downtown.
The following are the highlights of the Strategic Project Grant Program:
Program Goal: Provide grant funds to support Strategic Plan goals to address homelessness
Eligible Applicant: For-profit Property Owner residing with RDURA boundary
Maximum Grant: $50,000
Match Requirements: None
Eligible Projects: Projects to address building and/or property safety and security, for example; Fencing, Exterior Lighting, Interior Lighting for Storefront Windows, Security Cameras, Landscape, Trash/Recycling, Enclosures, Building Entrance Improvements, Gates
Sheri Wahrgren
Downtown Revitalization Manager
Attachments:
1. RDURA Strategic Project Grant Program Guidelines