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, w • r <br /> -. � _ . <br />� MEMORANDUM <br /> To: Mayor Howley, City of Decatur <br /> From: David Carr, Executive Director <br /> Subject: Hope VI <br /> Date: Apri120, 1999 <br /> First and foremost,I want to express our appreciation for the cooperation and assistance the City has <br /> lent to the efforts in developing a competitive Hope VI grant proposal for Decatur. The opportunities <br /> represented by this$35 million dollar grant will go a long way toward the quality redevelopment of the <br /> Near North Neighborhood. <br /> Hope VI is one of the most comprehensive and flexible grant programs which HUD has ever <br /> undertaken. And while a local housing authority is the required funding conduit,HUD's goals in this <br /> program are much broader and more community-based. <br /> At its core Hope VI provides funding to rebuild aging public housing facilities and offers ancillary <br /> resources to further Welfare to Work initiatives. However, the philosophical foundations of this <br /> program and the measure HUD uses in awarding funding is critically linked to the holistic long term <br /> redevelopment of inner-city neighborhoods and the level of collaboration and cooperation which <br /> communities demonstrate toward this goal. <br /> This was the path we cooperatively embarked upon last year and as you lrnow,Decatur's Hope VI <br /> application was almost funded. As we understand it, this was rather high praise for first year grants <br /> which are not typically accorded this level of consideration. <br /> To help provide the best assurance for success this year,we engaged the Quadel Consulting <br /> Corporation who has a national reputation within the public housing industry. Utilizing their expertise <br /> and assistance in cooperation with City staff and the myriad of other Near North stakeholders we feel <br /> confident that our grant will have a good chance for success this year. <br /> As it stands currently,there is consensus among the stakeholders for the grant plans to include the <br /> demolition of most if not all of the current apartments in Longview Place and to coordinate the funding <br /> resources of Hope VI cooperatively with the City for the healthiest mix of home ownership, <br /> unsubsidized and subsidized dwellings in a revitalized Near North Neighborhood. We are certainly <br /> pleased to be in a position to play a role in this worthwhile endeavor and will continue to assist the City <br /> in any ways possible. <br /> Executive Dire or <br /> DPC:bk <br /> c: Board of Commissioners <br />