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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2010-013RESOLUTION NO. 2010-013 WHEREAS, the City Council desires to implement the expansion of the NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM and the Policies as proposed by staff; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS: SECTION 1. THAT the City Manager of the City of North Richland Hills or his designee is authorized to implement an expanded Neighborhood Initiative Program to be governed by the policies attached hereto and described as NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE CASH REBATE PROGRAM POLICY and NEIGHBORHOOD INITIIATIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM POLICY. PASSED AND APPROVED this the 22nd day of March, 2010. CITY O N RTH CHL ND HILLS By: O r Trevino, ayor APP V S TO ORM AND LEGALITY: George A. Stap ,City Attorney APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: Jo~Ahn Stout, Neiglib ood Services Director Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 1 of 14 Patricia Hutson, City Secretary CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE CASH REBATE PROGRAM POLICY The following policies apply to the Neighborhood Initiative Cash Rebate Program. The NIP Program is made pursuant to the City of North Richland Hills Resolution No. 2010 - 013. The purpose of the NIP Cash Rebate Program is to encourage homeowners to make improvements to the exterior of their homes including the yard area. Doing so will enhance home values, improve living conditions and prevent deterioration of neighborhoods. In addition, this program will support local businesses and encourage volunteerism. Exterior improvements can motivate surrounding homeowners to improve the condition of their other homes which in turn improves neighborhoods. The City of North Richland Hills (City) is starting this program in a pilot area to determine if it should be expanded elsewhere. The pilot area is located south of NE Loop 820, west of Boulevard 26, east of Rufe Snow Dr. and north of Glenview Dr. GENERAL 1. Cash rebates under this program apply only to EXTERIOR REMODELING IMPROVEMENTS (unless interior renovations are needed to bring up to code) on single family-detached homes in the City of North Richland Hills 2. Rebates equal 10% of the total cost of the repairs, up to a maximum rebate of $3,000. 2. For the purposes of this program, the term Applicant shall mean an individual person (or persons) that is the owner of the property listed in Section B of the Application. 3. City staff will not consider applications unless applications are complete and comply with program policies. Applications must be submitted to the Neighborhood Services Department. Staff will notify the applicant as soon as staff has verified that the application is complete. 4. A permit must be obtained from the City's Planning and Inspections Department, if applicable, prior to beginning work on any project eligible for a rebate under this program. Nothing in this policy shall supersede the requirements set forth in the permit. All work must be completed within the time allotted under the permit, unless an extension is sought and granted by the City. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 2 of 14 5. All incentives will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis and subject to fund availability. The completion date, as set by the final inspection according to the City inspector, will determine the order in which completed applications will be considered. See below for instructions on scheduling an inspection at the completion of the construction. 6. All construction must comply with all current City requirements. 7. An Applicant may only request a rebate for each type of qualifying improvement once. For example, if an Applicant re-paints his home two times or re- landscapes their beds each spring, those improvements are eligible for incentives only the first time. Duplicate improvements due to weather or other circumstances will not be considered for cash rebates. 8. Applicant may only claim one upgrade cash rebate per application. For example, if the Applicant replaces all of the windows with energy efficient windows and replaces the entire fence using the upgraded materials, the Applicatant is eligible for only one upgrade cash rebate amount even though both individual improvements included an upgrade. 9. If approved, the cash rebate will only be paid to the Applicant responsible for the improvements as stated under Applicant Information. 10.Only improvements to the exterior of the home are eligible for this program, unless interior improvements are needed to bring it up to code. The list below identifies qualifying improvements and the minimum work required. 11. Upon completion, the improvement must be inspected and verified by a City Inspector in order to qualify. The improvement must be inspected within 7 calendar days of completing the improvement. The application, receipts, and all other required documentation must be presented to the City within 30 calendar days of the date of inspection. In no way will this inspection serve in lieu of any code-required inspection of the home or be deemed to be approval of any aspect of the project. 12. At the time of application, the Applicant's property, as identified in Section B, must be in compliance with all of the City's codes and ordinances to be eligible to receive a cash rebate. Participation in this cash rebate program does not afford Applicants additional time to comply with existing code enforcement violations. 13. If the Applicant is completing the improvement as part of an insurance claim, the Applicant can use only the amount paid out of pocket as the base-qualifying amount for their cash rebate. For example, if insurance is paying $20,000 for replacing a roof and the Applicant adds another $20,000 for additional roofing repairs or other qualifying improvements, the amount used to determine the cash rebate is 10% of $20,000, or a cash rebate of $2,000. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 3 of 14 14. The cash rebate shall be paid in a lump sum to the Applicant only. Rebate checks will not be split between different parties nor will checks be pro-rated over any time period. 15.Applicant shall not be eligible to receive any cash rebates if there are outstanding debts owed to the City by the Applicant. Once all debts are cleared, an Applicant may re-apply for incentives if the application is received prior to the 60-calendar day deadline (See Requirement Number 12 above). 16. To be eligible for this program, Applicants must complete all the application requirements stated in the Neighborhood Initiative Cash Rebate Program. 17.A11 applicants must select contractors whose business is located in NRH and all materials used for the upgrade must be purchased from an NRH business. Receipts will be required in order to receive the incentive bonus. The City will provide the homeowner with a list of contractors. It is the homeowner's responsibility to do their own due diligence in determining the right contractor for their project. QUALIFYING IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADES (owners who select "upgraded materials" may receive an additional $200 incentive). 1. Replacement of soffit and fascia a. Must replace with fiber-cement material such as Hardiplank b. Must replace a minimum of 50% to qualify c. Upgrade incentive for replacing 100% of soffit and fascia 2. Re-shingle roof with 30-year shingles a. Must replace a minimum of 50% of the roof area to qualify b. Upgrade incentive for replacing roof 3. Replace siding a. Must use fiber-cement material such as Hardiplank b. Must replace a minimum of 50% of the total siding area to qualify c. Upgrade incentive for replacing all siding 4. Replace windows with energy efficient windows a. Must replace minimum of 50% of total windows in home to qualify b. Upgrade incentive with replacement of all windows with energy efficient windows 5. Replace entire driveway with concrete to city specifications 6. Replace or repair fence to City specifications Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 4 of 14 a. Must replace or repair a minimum of 50% of the total linear feet of fencing to qualify b. Upgrade incentive for using steel posts and cedar OR for using treated wood pickets and rails 7. Replace exterior doors, including garage door a. Upgrade incentive for energy efficient doors 8. Replace patio cover with an architecturally compatible patio cover 9. Replace carport with an architecturally compatible carport 10.Add or repair garage 11. Add or repair front porch 12. Re-paint house a. Color must be consistent with neighborhood 13. Create landscape beds in front yard a. Must have edge treatment around landscape bed b. Landscape bed must be mulched c. Recommended plant list for the Dallas-Fort Worth area and plant care tips available at http://www.txsmartscape.com/NorthCentralTX/main asp d. Upgrade incentive for tree plantings greater than 3" in diameter 14. Install automatic sprinkler system in the front and side yards 15. Install or replace front gutters 16. Foundation repair (when appropriate) 17. Home additions **For renovations not listed here, City staff will make an initial recommendation of eligibility for incentives under this program to the City Council prior to the Applicant beginning work. The City Council will make the final determination of eligibility. CASH REBATE There is no minimum improvement value to qualify under the NIP Cash Rebate Program. The applicant will receive a cash rebate of 10% of the total cost of the renovation, up to a $3,000 rebate. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 5 of 14 DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS 1. For work done by a contractor, Applicant must provide a copy of the contract showing all itemized costs. 2. For work done by the Applicant, the Applicant must provide a signed affidavit stating the qualifying improvements, the cost of each (copies of receipts), and the total amount of the qualified improvements. 3. Applicant must provide a valid Texas driver's license or Texas I.D. card for identity verification purposes. 4. Applicant must provide before and after photographs of the improvements. 5. A copy of the most current appraised value of your home, per Tarrant County Appraisal District. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS Receipt of this application by the City does not commit the City to approve the application for cash rebates, or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the application. The award of any cash rebate is at the sole discretion of the City of NRH and the program may be suspended or terminated at any time regardless of availability of funds or pending applications on file. The City Manager's designee is authorized to modify the name of this program as needed for marketing or public relations purposes. No application shall be accepted or cash rebate awarded that would result in a violation of the conflict of interest provisions in the City Charter; the City Council, City Manager, City Judge, individual board members and City employees are ineligible for the receipt of benefits from this cash rebate program. All applications, and information contained therein, that are submitted are subject to disclosure pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act. The applicant cannot sell their home within 2 years of receiving their cash rebate check from the City of North Richland Hills. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 6 of 14 Neighborhood Initiative Program Application Checklist The following forms must be turned into the Neighborhood Services Department in order to complete your file to qualify for the incentives offered. o Completed application o Notarized acknowledgement form (within application) o Copy of valid Texas driver's license or Texas ID o For work done by the Applicant - A signed affidavit stating the qualifying improvements, cost of each and total cost (please attach receipts) o For work done by a contractor - A copy of the contract showing all costs and project completion date (please attach all receipts). o Any permits required for improvements o Before and after photographs of the improvements o Insurance documents verifying amount of claim paid (if applicable) o City inspection* *Once all improvements are complete, the Applicant must contact Planning & Inspections at City Hall to schedule a city inspection. There is no cost for this inspection and it takes approximately 20 minutes. Please call 817-427-6300 to schedule the inspection. All outstanding Code Enforcement citations or debts owed to the City must be rectified within 60 calendar days of the completion of the project, in order to qualify for incentives. If you have any questions regarding the application, application process, or anything else concerning the NIP Program, please feel free to call 817-427-6650 for more information. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 7 of 14 CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM POLICY The following policies apply to the Neighborhood Initiative Program-Volunteers (V-NIP) The V-NIP Program is made pursuant to the City of North Richland Hills Resolution No. 2010-013. The purpose of V-NIP is to help lower income residents of North Richland Hills with large, needed interior and exterior repairs. The program also encourages volunteerism by linking community groups and local businesses with opportunities to help. The City of North Richland Hills (City) is starting this program in a pilot area to determine if it should be expanded elsewhere. The pilot area is located south of NE Loop 820, west of Boulevard 26, east of Rufe Snow Dr. and north of Glenview Dr. GENERAL 1. Volunteer groups will partner with the City to do larger exterior and interior repairs to the homes of lower income residents of North Richland Hills. In this program, the homeowner is not expected to participate financially; the City and volunteer groups contribute monetarily and the volunteer groups provide labor. 2. To qualify for City participation, the requesting homeowner must meet the 80% HUD income guidelines. If volunteer groups choose to work with families whose incomes exceed those guidelines, the City will not participate financially. 3. On projects the City participates in, it will contribute 50% of materials cost up to a ceiling of $3,000 per house. 4. All materials must be purchased in North Richland Hills and determined to be necessary for making the required improvements to the subject property. 5. The City may advance the volunteer group up to $1,000 for initial expenses. 6. City participation will be subject to fund availability. 7. Homeowners and properties that participate in this program must meet specific qualifications. Failure to meet those qualifications will disallow their participation in the program. Program qualifications can be found below. 8. A committee comprising of city personnel act as an advisory board to individual projects and approve volunteer organizations. The committee will help volunteer organizations set work timetables for individual projects. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 8 of 14 9. Once a property and homeowner is qualified, the City's Building Inspections and Code Compliance Divisions will inspect the home to determine what work is needed. From those inspections and submitted applications a house will be placed on the available project list. 10.Approved volunteer organizations can visit the City and review available project binders. Once a volunteer organization chooses a project, that organization becomes manager of that individual project. The volunteer organization is responsible for bookkeeping and must supply the City with copies of all receipts and expense reports. PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS To qualify for the program, the applicant must live in the City North Richland Hills and meet at least one of the following criteria: • Is handicapped • Is disabled • Is 62 years of age or older • Is head of a household with a dependent child living in the home who is under the age of 18 or a full time student The applicant must meet all of the following criteria: • The home must be owner-occupied • All owners of the property must reside in the home • The home cannot be a mobile home • The home must have a ceiling height of at least 7'6" • The property can have no more than two liens against it • Applicant must have lived in the house for at least one year • Applicant must meet low income requirements (based on family size) as determined annually by HUD Any changes in owner status must be reported VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS A staff committee acts as program coordinator by identifying qualified homes for the program and introducing the owners to volunteer organizations. The City's primary partners in the V-NIP Program are local churches, nonprofit organizations, civic groups and local businesses. Each volunteer organization is given the opportunity to select a suitable project, or portion thereof, based upon their organization's volunteer availability and skill set, as well as project funding requirements. If a portion of a project house is chosen, a pro rata share of the City Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 9 of 14 match can be awarded. The committee is available to assist partners with project selection. Committee meetings are held regularly to discuss upcoming and current projects. Any group interested in volunteering is welcome to attend. Volunteer organizations interested in participating in individual projects must first meet with the Committee. The purpose of this is to make the volunteer organization aware of the program goals and participation requirements. PROGRAM PROCEDURES Initial Application Any North Richland Hills homeowner may submit an application to the V-NIP program, however, the home and/or homeowners must meet certain criteria to be eligible for assistance. The homeowner's economic situation is considered, as well as other factors relating to the occupant's ability to deal with the deteriorating condition of the property in question. Consideration will be given to whether there are support systems in place for the occupants that impact the capability of maintaining the home. Homes that meet the qualifications and intent of the V-NIP program are scheduled to be inspected by the Committee. An interested homeowner must fill out an application with the Neighborhood Services Department. Homeowners must have income that does not exceed HUD low income definitions. A copy of the homeowner's most recent IRS Tax Form 1040 is required for verification purposes. The Director of Neighborhood Services makes the final determination if a home qualifies for inclusion on the inventory list. The City can provide assistance in completing the application. Verification Procedures Prior to scheduling an inspection, the City may verify the payment of property taxes, property ownership, whether there has been any criminal activity on premises in the past 18 months, and whether there are unresolved code issues or outstanding liens. Inspection of Homes An assessment team of representatives from the City's Building Inspections and Code Compliance Divisions will meet with the homeowner and note the exterior and interior deficiencies that require repair in the home. The inspection serves as a written confirmation of needs and provides digital photographs for interested volunteer organizations. Selection Process After a project home is inspected, it is added to a list of homes available for participation. A project binder is prepared for each qualified property. The binder will include planning tips for the volunteer organization, tracking forms, the homeowner's application, completed inspection forms, and other helpful reference materials. Any registered volunteer organization has access to the list and associated binders and is Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 10 of 14 encouraged to select a home that meets their specific criteria and skill set. Once selected from the list, the volunteer organization is generally in charge of the implementation of the repair project. Project Plan Each home on the list will be a unique project and therefore will require its own project plan. The Committee will work with the volunteer organization to develop the plan. The plan will identify potential issues to be addressed, provide a sense of the time required for the project and establish a logical order of steps to be taken. Volunteer organizations are encouraged to consider volunteer issues, such as appropriate work clothes, required tools, and general safety precautions. Project Value Volunteer organizations are encouraged to document volunteer hours worked, costs incurred, and the value of any donated materials and supplies. To obtain city matching contributions, such documentation is required. If the project undertaken is also on the Tarrant County HUD grant program active project list and/or part of H-NIP, such documentation is also required. City Contribution The City of North Richland Hills is authorized to provide a funding match of 50% of materials cost expended on a given project by volunteer organizations with a ceiling of $3,000. The City participates in material costs determined necessary for making the required improvements. The City only participates in materials purchased from North Richland Hills' businesses. The City will not reimburse materials cost for those materials purchased outside the city limits. Expenditures for supplies such as storage pods, dumpsters, etc. are included in the calculation of the City's 50% match. To request matching funds, submit the reimbursement form along with expense summary form to the Neighborhood Services Department. Except in the case of the advance, the City participates in the form of reimbursement only. An advance of up to $1,000 may be available from the City. The project manager must show a need for that advance and track expenses toward the advance. No other city funds will be granted until that advance is spent. Any unused portions of the advance must be returned to the City after the project is completed. Upon review of receipts, the amount to be paid by the City will be determined and a payment request will be prepared. The receipt copies will be returned to the volunteer organization along with the payment. For audit purposes, all receipts or copies thereof shall be maintained by the volunteer organization and the City for a minimum of three years after project completion. The City wilt waive all fees for required building permits. Volunteer organization must obtain all proper city building permits, but they will not be charged for those permits. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 11 of 14 City Regulations All work completed as part of V-NIP must meet city rules and regulations. Improvements must be done to city code. All necessary building permits must be obtained. Building permit fees will be waived for projects under this program. R-NIP Contractors Contractors participating in the Neighborhood Initiative Program-Cash Rebate (R-NIP) are required to complete one V-NIP project once per year. The R-NIP contractors are expected to donate their time to the V-NIP projects. All reasonable material costs are also expected to be donated. The City will coordinate with volunteer organizations and R-NIP contractors to determine the best V-NIP projects for the contractors. Project Documentation Each home rehabilitation project will be well documented with before and after photographs, a final cost report, executed legal documents, labor and equipment usage reports, a brief narrative of the project, etc. A complete file will be maintained by the City for future audit and program evaluation analysis. Withdrawal from Program Properties on the active project listing will remain so until the residence is chosen by a volunteer organization or the property owner requests removal from the project listing. Additionally, any property on the active list that no longer qualifies for the program may be removed from the list by the City. Items that could cause disqualifications of a property include, but are not limited to: • Failure to remain current on property taxes • Change of ownership or occupancy • Unresolved code issues such as code violations or liens • Repairs are undertaken and completed by another means • Estimated cost of repairs exceed the value of the property Partnership with H-NIP Projects Special requirements will be required of the homeowner, City and volunteer organization if the home also qualifies for the Neighborhood Initiative Program-HOME (H-NIP). If a V-NIP project is also part of H-NIP, the City will use its monetary contribution and waived permit fees and the volunteer organization's monetary contribution and volunteer hours toward the local match to federal HOME funds. ACTION STEPS 1. Residents submit applications to the Neighborhood Services Department. An application is not complete unless a copy of a 1040 tax return is included for Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 12 of 14 each adult residing in the home. A homeowner must meet the 80% HUD guidelines to participate in the program. 2. City staff, including members of Code Compliance and Building Inspections Divisions will visit the residence to determine the work needed. If major systems needs are discovered, the City will help the homeowner fill out a HOME application under the H-NIP program. If the owner is selected for H-NIP, that work will be separate from the V-NIP program. 3. A project binder will be created for interested volunteer groups. Staff will assist volunteer groups in picking projects that fit the groups' mission and capability. 4. Meetings will be held between the volunteer groups and the City before, during and after the project. This allows the two parties to track progress and costs. 5. The City will participate in 50% of material costs up to $3,000 in total participation per house project. An advance of up to $1,000 may be available from the City. The project manager must show a need for the advance and track expenses toward the advance. No other city funds will be granted until the advance is spent. Any unused portions of the advance must be returned to the City after the project is completed. 6. Upon review of receipts, the City will determine the amount it must reimburse the volunteer organization. The receipt copies will be returned to the volunteer group. For audit purposes, all receipts or copies thereof shall be maintained by the volunteer organization and the City for a minimum of three years after project completion. 7. The City will only reimburse 50% of costs for materials purchased in North Richland Hills. Materials purchased outside the city limits will not be eligible for reimbursement. 8. City staff will not consider applications unless they are complete and comply with program policies. Applications must be submitted to the Neighborhood Services Department. Staff will notify the applicant as soon as staff has verified that the application is complete. 9. A building permit must be obtained from the Planning and Inspections Division, if applicable, prior to beginning work, on any project eligible for an incentive under this program. Nothing in this policy shall supersede the requirements set forth in the permit. All work must be completed within the time allotted under the permit, unless an extension is sought and granted by the City. Permit fees will be waived if the project is conducted under the V-NIP program. 10. All city participation projects will be subject to fund availability. City Inspections and Initial meetings with the volunteer groups will help determine Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 13 of 14 costs. The City will be upfront with the volunteer groups if it feels it cannot meet its reimbursement requirements for a specific project. 11.Applicant shall not be eligible to participate in the program if there are outstanding debts owed to the City by the Applicant. Once all debts are cleared, an Applicant may re-apply for the program. 12. To be eligible for this program, Applicants must complete all the application requirements stated in the V-NIP. The City will keep information on residences that do not meet V-NIP income guidelines. Volunteer groups may choose these residences for projects. If so, the volunteer groups cannot qualify for City reimbursement costs. Resolution No. 2010-013 Page 14 of 14