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New LMI Percentages Take Effect in April

 

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program requires that each CDBG funded activity must either benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons (at least 51% LMI), prevent or eliminate slums or blight, or resolve an urgent need where local resources are not available to do so.

Many CDBG projects benefit LMI persons. If a community does not automatically qualify at 51% LMI based on Census data, it must survey to determine if the service area of a proposed activity meets the LMI criteria.

In February, HUD released new LMI percentages. The effective date for the new data is April 1. That release has created changes for some cities in the region.

“More than a dozen cities now qualify LMI from the Census numbers, which means they no longer would have to survey to apply for CDBG funding,” NCRPC Assistant Director Emily Benedick said.

Any cities that have completed a LMI survey since 2012 can use those surveys until the 2020 Census numbers are released, which may be 2022. For communities considering a project that could involve CDBG funds, Benedick has advice.

**UPDATE April 2019: At the FY2020 CDBG application workshop, it was learned that this funding cycle is the last chance to use LMI surveys completed prior to the new Census numbers taking effect on
April 1, 2019. Any surveys completed using the 2010 Census numbers are no longer eligible to be used after the FY2020 CDBG funding round (this Fall).

“The first step is to call our office to discuss if their project would be CDBG eligible,” Benedick said. “Then we can help them determine if they need to complete an LMI survey and help in that process.”

This article appeared in the March 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


NCK Home Ownership Pilot Program Had Positive Results


Home Ownership Program LogoHelping make home ownership more affordable was one goal of the NCK Home Ownership Pilot Program that assisted home buyers this past year in Cloud and Mitchell counties.

The program officially launched in April 2018. It assisted home buyers with down payment and closing cost assistance in the purchase of 26 homes — 16 in Mitchell County and 10 in Cloud County. The total value was $3.2 million, with $260,900 coming from the pilot program.

Primary objectives of the pilot program were to help make home ownership more affordable, be a catalyst for first time home buyers, benefit employers in recruiting and retaining employees, reduce employee time spent commuting to work, and market the program to alumni considering a move to live closer to friends and family.

An award from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation of Logan, Kansas, assisted in the creation of the loan and grant pool. NCRPC provided program administration led by Debra Peters, NCRPC Program Manager.
Of the home buyers who used the NCK Home Ownership Pilot Program, 39% bought their first home, 31% took a new job in the last year, and 25% moved from outside of the NCRPC 12-county service area. Nearly 60% of the home buyers reported graduating from a high school located in the NCRPC region. In addition, 25 children were either new to the local schools or will be entering school within the next five years.

“One goal of the pilot project was to test whether the use of a housing incentive would be a catalyst for people to stake roots in our region and we were pleased with the results,” Peters said. “The two biggest impacts we saw were with employment and schools.”

The results of this project will be used to launch an updated version of the pilot program in Ellsworth and Lincoln counties, pending funding. Future plans include the development of a regional home ownership program.

This article appeared in the March 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.



Pilot Program Addresses Nuisances

Helping communities deal with nuisance properties, enforcement and ordinances was the main goal behind NCRPC offering a pilot Nuisance Abatement Program in 2018.

Dilapidated structures are one of the issues the Nuisance Abatement Program seeks to address.

NCRPC Housing Director Carol Torkelson says there have been many positive results from the first year of the program in the City of Belleville.

“The visual impact is huge in the area where the ordinance was enforced and property owner pride is very apparent,” Torkelson said. “Another great success was neighbors helping neighbors — working together to remedy issues that needed taken care of.”

The Nuisance Abatement Program offers third party assessment and oversight from an outside perspective to enforce an ordinance the city adopts. The comprehensive Nuisance Abatement Ordinance applies to all properties including commercial, residential, vacant or occupied. NCRPC developed the program based on similar initiatives with peer organizations in Nebraska.

“We all get used to seeing things as they are and that becomes normal,” Torkelson said. “The program helps nudge residents to be aware of their surroundings.”

The pilot program was designed to be completed by the end of 2018. All properties have cleared except those the City of Belleville is monitoring and will complete with its demolition program. According to Belleville Mayor Kim Lapo, in recent years the city has demolished approximately 10 homes per year that have been deemed uninhabitable. Some of these properties have absentee owners.

“Everyone in our community wins when our properties are taken care of,” Lapo said. “It positively impacts tourism and economic development, which is crucial for small towns like us to stand out.”

While there were challenges to work through like many first-year programs, Torkelson credits the City of Belleville and its staff for staying the course and successfully completing the project.

“City staff was great to work with,” Torkelson said. “They offered suggestions such as an extra clean up day to help residents and use of their time and equipment for the actual abatement.”

According to Lapo, the city encountered pushback at the early stages of the program’s implementation — mostly due to questions about the purpose and cost. “The council and city staff worked diligently to be as transparent as possible and answer the questions that the community had in regards to this program,” Lapo said.

After a year of the program, Lapo reflected that there have been noticeable successes, including the visible difference where the nuisance abatement ordinance was enforced. “Trash has been removed from properties, vegetation has been cut down, repairs have been made to homes and structures, and vehicles have been tagged or removed from properties,” Lapo said. “A sense of community pride has been fostered since this program’s implementation.”

NCRPC is currently developing a modified version of the program that will be available to smaller communities that cannot afford the cost of the full program.

“We see the need in many of the communities we work with but also understand this is hard for communities to take on,” Torkelson said. “It is a lot of work and it impacts people on a personal level.”

For more information about the program, contact the NCRPC Housing Department.

This article appeared in the January 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


Joint Land Use Study for Proposed UAS Corridor Underway

Viewpoint Column by Doug McKinney, NCRPC Executive Director

Since the Civil War, Fort Riley Army Base has been a key component for national defense training. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Kansas has been at the forefront of aviation exploration. After all Kansans Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna, Lloyd Stearman and Amelia Earhart were some of the greatest aviators and quite innovative in their day. Today, Kansas is taking the lead in unmanned aerial system (UAS) research and development. Fort Riley, Kansas State University Polytechnic and the Smoky Hill Weapons Range are a large part in that.

North Central Regional Planning Commission is working with Flint Hills Regional Council to complete a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) that will support the UAS home station training. The research project is funded in large part by the U.S. Department of Defense. There are six unmanned systems at Fort Riley. The U.S. Army is looking for and needs to find safe and realistic training areas beyond the tight confines of the base. The Route Phoenix corridor links Fort Riley with the Smoky Hill Range in western Saline County. This is the first such training sector in the nation.

The JLUS research will examine this corridor and potential impacts vertically from the narrow high elevation flight path to the ground below. This effort will help identify potential new regulatory and non-regulatory measures to encourage compatible land uses within the study area. Recommendations will be offered for both military and civilian partners. Options such as noise attenuation standards, air space height standards, land exchanges, land acquisition, development incentive programs, conservation easements, transferable development rights program (TDRs), performance standards, special overlay zones, and special procedures for reviewing developments with potentially substantial impact within the study area may be explored.

The work is necessary to gain Federal Aviation Administration support for Fort Riley aviation training programs. It will greatly enhance maneuverability and increase readiness. North Central Kansas committee members represent each county of the corridor. Stantec Consulting has been engaged to provide JLUS expertise. Public meetings will also take place allowing for additional input from local citizens. The results should prove beneficial to Kansas and the nation by late 2019 and beyond.

This column appeared in the January 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


Monthly Educational Webinars Available

K-State Research and Extension offers a free educational webinar every first Friday of the month with topics relevant to business and community development.

Nancy Daniels, Community Vitality Specialist with K-State Research and Extension, coordinates the First Friday webinars.

“The next two presenters have direct impact on community development,” Daniels said. Deb Brown from SaveYour.Town will be the featured presenter on February 1 and will discuss marketing your small town. Ben Winchester, Extension Educator with University of Minnesota, will discuss rewriting the rural narrative on March 1.

Previous webinars — including a wide range of topics such as cyber security, agritourism, e-commerce and more — are recorded and available online at www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/business/entrepreneurship/. To be added to the list to participate in upcoming calls, email nkdaniels@ksu.edu.

This article appeared in the January 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


Strategic Planning Survey in Process

The NCRPC is asking those who live or work in North Central Kansas to take a short survey that will help shape the future of the region and the organization. The following 12 counties are included: Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Ottawa, Republic, Saline, and Washington.

The survey is part of a multi-year strategic planning process that is currently underway. The results will help develop a 5-year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region. A CEDS is a locally-based, regionally-driven economic development planning process and document that engages community leaders, private sector partners, and other stakeholders in planning for the future. The CEDS is also a prerequisite for Federal designation as an Economic Development District.

The survey is available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ncksstrategy. It will end November 30.

For more information about the CEDS or the strategic planning process, contact Doug McKinney or Emily Benedick at the NCRPC.

This article appeared in the November 2018 NCRPC Newsletter.


Leadership a Focus of NCRPC Banquet

Ed O’Malley gave the keynote address at the NCRPC/NCKCN Banquet.

Kansas Leadership Center President and CEO Ed O’Malley was the featured speaker at the NCRPC-NCKCN Banquet on November 9 at Life’s Finer Moments Lodge just south of Clay Center.

NCRPC joins with affiliate North Central Kansas Community Network Co. (NCKCN) to host the event every other year in various locations around the region. This year’s format was a noon luncheon.

O’Malley shared the history of the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) and discussed the role of leadership in communities.

“The key to a healthy community is the presence of leadership,” O’Malley said.

A concise definition of leadership he shared was mobilizing others to solve tough problems. Making progress, he says, will require working across factions and engaging unusual voices.

“Engaging those who usually aren’t at the table adds energy into the process,” O’Malley said.

He also challenged those attending to think differently about their communities. “Instead of thinking about what concerns you most, how about what is your greatest aspiration?” O’Malley said.

He shared that many Kansans will receive KLC training this year and they would like help to reach more people to continue efforts to transform the civic culture of the state.

O’Malley closed with information about Leadership Transformation Grants and that the KLC can be a resource for local leadership programs. The KLC Leadership Transformation Grant Program provides scholarships to civically engaged organizations from the business, education, faith, government, and nonprofit sectors across Kansas to participate in leadership programs. For more information about KLC, visit kansasleadershipcenter.org.

This article appeared in the November 2018 NCRPC Newsletter.


Program Helps Lower Household Energy Costs

Colder weather has arrived and one Smith County resident is appreciating the energy efficiency improvements made to her home through the Weatherization Assistance Program.

The Weatherization Assistance Program helps reduce energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, while ensuring their health and safety.

Measures that were installed in the Smith County home include a new 95% mobile home forced air furnace, insulation, windows, LED light bulbs, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, venting to the exterior a dryer vent and exhaust fan, as well as various air sealing measures. According to the client, there has been a significant difference in the comfort of her home as well as the cost of utilities since weatherization was completed.

The NCRPC administers the Weatherization Assistance Program for 42 Kansas counties. Since 1979, more than 14,500 homes have received assistance through NCRPC.

Eligibility for the program is based solely on income. Funding for this program is provided by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP). To learn more about the program or how to apply, visit www.ncrpc.org/services/housing/weatherization/.

This article appeared in the November 2018 NCRPC Newsletter.


Investing in Youth Important for Future

Written by Doug McKinney, NCRPC Executive Director

Investing in youth is happening all across the region. I salute the efforts in Republic County and Saline County and the youth entrepreneurship programs they are unveiling in late November. Lincoln County has provided some youth leadership training. Many other locations have initiatives to intentionally engage and invest in youth. One recent example I had the opportunity to participate in was the Career Day in Clay County on November 14. It was a huge success.

You never know what is on the mind of a young person—what their hopes and dreams are until they are asked in a small group setting. About a dozen of 300 I talked with had their own business. They all make use of social media to market their services.

Energizing others was a theme of the dialogue with Ed O’Malley of the Kansas Leadership Center at the recent NCRPC and NCKCN bi-annual banquet at Life’s Finer Moments Lodge near Clay Center. The youth at the previously mentioned forums are energized by what they experience and have the opportunity to express.

Teaming with a mentorship group can also energize them. The world we live in is full of successful collaborations that blossom from a single idea being flushed out amongst a few others who help it grow. According to Forbes Magazine, young persons need a safe environment in which they can thrive and fail at attempts to learn and experiment with innovations. Having others alongside them is vital in that realm. Moreover, often we as older adults do not convey the opportunities that can be explored right here in this region given the technologies and technical trainings available.

Please ponder how we can better prepare the next generation for what is around the next corner in life so they can return to help our communities survive and thrive.

This column appeared in the November 2018 NCRPC Newsletter.


Project Spotlight: Lincoln Power Plant

A new generator has improved the reliability of the power supply in the City of Lincoln Center.

A basic need of any community is to have steady, reliable electricity. Residents, businesses and visitors all expect and rely upon having electrical power 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

When the City of Lincoln Center was faced with continued problems on its rebuilt electrical power generating engine, the Enterprise, the city knew replacement was the best long-term solution.

The community applied for and was awarded funds from the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce to assist with the cost of the electrical generation upgrade project. The project used approximately $346,000 in CDBG funds. The city contributed nearly $442,000 in City cash and the issuance of bonds.

The older failing engine was replaced with a newer, more reliable engine that will continue to serve the community for many decades.

According to City of Lincoln Power Plant Foreman Jeff Ahring, it was necessary for the city to upgrade the generator. “Prior to the project, in the event that one of our other generators should malfunction, we would not have been able to provide the entire community with enough power to the grid, and as a result, we would have to initiate a “rolling blackout” until the issue was repaired,” Ahring said. “With the addition of the generator this project provided, we are able to provide the power required.”

Now if an incoming utility fails to provide power to the community, the power plant can restore power to the community in a matter of minutes. Ahring also noted the newer engine is a Tier 2, meaning fewer emissions while the engine is producing energy.

NCRPC Community Development Representative Nichole McDaniel administered the project in Lincoln. “The City of Lincoln has been great to work with on this as well as past improvement projects,” McDaniel said. “The recent power plant project has been able to provide the city with confidence that they can provide reliable power to their community.”

There are many great things happening in North Central Kansas communities. Periodically we plan to feature projects from around the region to share ways communities have solved challenges. To view more Project Spotlights, visit https://www.ncrpc.org/tag/project-spotlight/.

This article appeared in the November 2018 NCRPC Newsletter.


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