FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2018
Contact: Yolanda Fields
Community Resources Director
479-575-8290
yfields@fayetteville-ar.gov
Mayor Jordan Calls Special City Council Meeting
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— Mayor Lioneld Jordan has called a special City Council meeting to discuss and hear public comment on a proposed City resolution regarding the Fayetteville Housing Authority’s “2018 Annual Plan and Rolling Five-Year Plan.” The meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 24, at 5:30 p.m. in Room 219 of City Hall (113 W. Mountain Street).
Today, City officials received the following statement from a representative of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Little Rock field office:
“The Fayetteville Housing Authority (FHA) is not considered at risk losing their 2018 Capital Funds. The funds will be released to the Housing Authority after the HUD Field Office reviews the contents of the PHA Plan and receives the attached form (HUD-50077-SL), Certification by State or Local Office of PHA Consistency with the Consolidated Plan or State Consolidated Plan.
Our office has been informed that Mayor Lioneld Jordan has called a Special City Council meeting for Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at 5:30 PM in Room 219 of the City Administration Building, to discuss the Fayetteville Housing Authority’s 2018 Annual Plan and Rolling Five-Year Plan.
We expect to receive the signed form by the end of this month.”
A hyperlink to the official agenda for Tuesday’s special meeting can be found on the City’s website here: www.fayetteville-ar.gov/videoarchive. (Note: smart phone and tablet users may need to scroll right to view the link.)
The proposed resolution was “walked on” by Sarah Marsh, a Ward One Council member, at the July 17 City Council meeting. Council members expressed desire to hear public comment and therefore voted to table the item until the next scheduled City Council meeting on August 7. After hearing from community members, Mayor Jordan decided to call the special meeting, so he and the Council could hear public comment and vote on the proposed resolution prior to the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, July 26.
As part of the resolution, Council members may propose recommendations regarding the Fayetteville Housing Authority’s “2018 Annual Plan and Rolling Five Year-Plan” (see Section 1) before the Mayor signs the Certificate of Consistency. A signed certificate is required by federal regulations for consistency between the Fayetteville Housing Authority Plan and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Consolidated Annual Plan.
The proposed resolution reads:
A RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE CITY COUNCIL’S RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAYOR JORDAN CONCERNING THE FAYETTEVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY’S 2018 ANNUAL PLAN AND ROLLING FIVE-YEAR PLAN
WHEREAS, the Fayetteville Housing Authority has requested Mayor Jordan to sign the Fayetteville Housing Authority’s 2018 Annual Plan and Rolling Five Year Plan; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Jordan’s approving signature is necessary before any such Plan can be submitted to the Housing Urban Development Department; and
WHEREAS, several items of this Plan have proven somewhat controversial to Fayetteville citizens in the past and Mayor Jordan would appreciate the City Council Members’ and the public’s comments and suggestions concerning the various parts of the Plan before the Mayor determines whether it is in the best interests of Fayetteville to approve this Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Plan might be able to be improved through public comment which comments could be taken into consideration by the Fayetteville Housing Authority to refine and improve the Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby recommends that the below portions of the 2018 Annual Plan and Rolling Five-Year Plan be reconsidered and modified by the Fayetteville Housing Authority before Mayor Jordan signs as approving the Plan.
(A) [recommendation]
(B) [recommendation]
(C) [recommendation]
(D) [recommendation]
Public comment will be allowed at Tuesday’s special meeting. Comments should be directed to the Mayor and will be limited to five minutes per person, unless a Council member or the Mayor requests the person to speak again. Mayor Jordan will explain the rules of order at the meeting. The Mayor encourages Fayetteville residents, especially the residents of Willow Heights and Lewis Plaza, as well as Fayetteville Housing Authority staff and Board of Commissioners to attend and speak at the meeting.
The Fayetteville Government Channel telecasts several City meetings live, including City Council meetings on Cox channel 216, AT&T U-verse channel 99, and streamed online at www.fayetteville-ar.gov/watch (press play icon). A video of the meeting will be posted to the City website. Links to archived videos are generally available within 24 hours of the original broadcast www.fayetteville-ar.gov/videoarchive.
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