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Home My WebLink AboutCRA-R-25-0070 MemorandumSEOPW Board of Commissioners Meeting November 20, 2025 SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM To: Board Chair Christine King Date: November 14, 2025 and Members of the CRA Board File: 18528 From: James McQueen Executive Director Subject: Establishing Emergency Rental Assistance Program for FY 2025- 2026 Enclosures: File # 18528 - Backup_ERAP 2026 Tenant Emergency Assistance Application File # 18528 - Backup_ERAP 2026 Property Owner Affidavit BACKGROUND: A Resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency ("SEOPW CRA"), establishing the SEOPW CRA Emergency Rental Assistance Program ("Program"), authorizing the allocation of an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($500,000.00) ("Funds"), to the Program for Fiscal Year ("FY") 2025-2026 for the provision of rent relief to residents throughout the SEOPW CRA Redevelopment Area due to increasing housing costs, as an improved rendition of the former program established in FY 2022-2024 ("Purpose"). Eligibility: The tenants to be assisted under this program will fall under one of the following two categories: one (1) As verified by their respective rent ledgers, tenants who are behind on their rent payments, where the one- time payment maximum ($5,000) OR LESS will suffice the rental arrears' amount and bring their rental payments "up to date." Two (2) At the discretion of the Executive Director, for tenants whose arrears exceed the maximum payment of $5,000, they may receive an additional amount to suffice saving the tenant from eviction. All tenant applicants must receive affidavit approval from property owner that said tenant will be "up to date" and safe from eviction via the receipt of grant. Additionally, in a similar fashion to municipality ERAPs of the past years during COVID relief, tenant applicant household income will be limited to 80% AMI. In other words, applicant household incomes above this threshold will not be eligible. Outreach: Furthermore, contrary to the previous ERAP rendition, program outreach will be primarily done through property owners. Property owners will have to present proper and accurate rent roll/ledgers of all potential tenant applicants based on the above. Additionally, there will be general rolling deadlines throughout grant funding dissemination. Each rolling deadline will require two (2) levels of hard deadlines: First (1st)' from the property owners to cooperate and provide rent ledger information, as well as any other pertinent information of prospective applicants the CRA may ask of; and then Second (2" d), from the owner - recommended tenants to cooperate and provide further necessary documentation. Additionally, property owners will be contacted "en masse" at random order to seek their participation into the program; tenants will not be able to usurp the recommendation of the property owner to receive the assistance directly from the SEOPW CRA. Finally, tenant applicants will receive a voluntary avenue to complete a free online personal budgeting/financial literacy course. JUSTIFICATION: Pursuant to Section 163.335(6), Florida Statutes, of the Community Redevelopment Act (the "Act"), found and declared that there exists "... a severe shortage of housing affordable to residents of low or moderate income, including the elderly... [and] such [conditions] affect the health, safety and welfare of the residents ... and retards their growth and economic and social development ...." Section 2, Goal 6, of the Plan, supports "improv[ing] the quality of life [and] creating housing ...," as a stated redevelopment goal. Section 2, Principle 2, of the Plan, proposes that the "neighborhood retain access to affordable housing," as a stated redevelopment principle. Section 2, Principle 3, of the Plan, discusses that there "must be variety in [affordable] housing options," as a stated redevelopment principle. Lastly, Section 2, Principle 14, of the Plan, also provides to "restore a sense of community and unify the area culturally... to do whatever is in [the CRA's] power to bring back... Overtown its... sense of place [and] cultural distinctiveness" as a stated redevelopment principle. FUNDING: $500,000.00 from SEOPW "Other Grants and Aids" Account No. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000. FACT SHEET: Entity name: Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment ("SEOPW CRA") Agency Address: 819 N.W. 2nd Avenue, 3rd floor, Miami, FL 33136 Number of participants: —100 tenant residential households. Page 2 of 8 Funding allocation: $500,000.00 Term: Early 2026 until funds run out. Stipend provided? Yes, a stipend to participating property owners for the benefit of their eligible tenants. Previous tenant grantees from the original ERAP may be eligible for this new rendition of the program but may, once again, only receive one payment per household under this new rendition. Age range of participants: Adults of legal tenant and property -owning age, 18 and up. Scope of work or services (Summary): This is a new rendition of the former Purpose of the Program that occurred from FY 2022-2024, informed by the original administering of the program, as today's tenants of the metro area continue to suffer from rising rental costs that far surpass the rise in local wages. This rendition of the Program will be informed by, and therefore will be executed much differently than, the original — the original having been largely imitative of the federally funded COVID-relief municipality programs. This program will primarily be dealt with and through the property owners, also including the payments made directly to them. The owners (or their agents) would have to want to participate and provide the appropriate rent ledgers as documented proof of tenant's eligibility. Owners may be given a standardized template to more easily document deficit amount for our records. We will also communicate/enforce the 80% AMI threshold as part of the tenant eligibility. Properties will be selected at random. Tenants cannot usurp the owner to receive the grant. All tenant applicants will be provided with information to access the free online financial literacy course to be taken voluntarily. Lastly, the payment will match the rent ledger provided deficit amount, up to $5,000 or less, with exceptions to exceed that amount to be approved by the Executive Director. Page 3 of 8 AGENDA ITEM FINANCIAL INFORMATION FORM SEOPW CRA CRA Board Meeting Date: November 20, 2025 CRA Section: Brief description of CRA Agenda Item: Resolution, establishing the SEOPW Emergency Rental Assistance Program, and authorizing funding allocation for the program, in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00, for FY 2025-2026. Project Number YES, there Account Code: (if applicable): are sufficient funds in Line Item: 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000 Amount: $ 5 0 0, 0 0 0.0 0 NO (Complete the following source of funds information): Amount budgeted in the line item: $ Balance in the line item: $ Amount needed in the line item: $ Sufficient funds will be transferred from the following line items: ACTION ACCOUNT NUMBER TOTAL Project No./Index/Minot Object From $ To $ From $ To $ Comments: Page 4 of 8 Approved by: Approval: Executive Director 11/13/2025 Miguel A Valcntiri, Finance Officer 11/13/2025 Page 5 of 8 Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency File Type: CRA Resolution Enactment Number: CRA-R-25-0070 File Number: 18528 Final Action Date:11/20/2025 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("SEOPW CRA"), ESTABLISHING THE SEOPW CRA EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ("PROGRAM"), AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND ZERO CENTS ($500,000.00) ("FUNDS"), FROM ACCOUNT NO. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000 — "OTHER GRANTS AND AIDS," TO THE PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR ("FY") 2025- 2026 FOR THE PROVISION OF RENT RELIEF TO RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE SEOPW CRA REDEVELOPMENT AREA DUE TO INCREASING HOUSING COSTS, AS AN IMPROVED RENDITION OF THE FORMER PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN FY 2022-2024 ("PURPOSE"); AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO DISBURSE FUNDS AS A GRANT TO QUALIFYING APPLICANTS, AT HIS DISCRETION, ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR DIRECTLY TO VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY DOCUMENTATION, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM AND TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS NECESSARY, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO COUNSEL, FOR SAID PURPOSE; PROVIDING FOR THE INCORPORATION OF RECITALS AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency ("SEOPW CRA") is a community redevelopment agency created pursuant to Chapter 163, Florida Statutes, and is responsible for carrying out community redevelopment activities and projects within its Redevelopment Area in accordance with the 2018 Updated Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Plan ("Plan"); and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 163.340(9), Florida Statutes, "community redevelopment means projects of a ... community redevelopment agency in a community redevelopment area for the elimination and prevention of the development or spread of slum and blight"; and WHEREAS, Section 163.335(6), Florida Statutes, of the Community Redevelopment Act (the "Act"), found and declared that there exists "... a severe shortage of housing affordable to residents of low or moderate income, including the elderly... [and] such [conditions] affect the health, safety and welfare of the residents ... and retards their growth and economic and social development ...."; and WHEREAS, Section 2, Goal 6, of the Plan, supports "improv[ing] the quality of life [and] creating housing ...," as a stated redevelopment goal; and WHEREAS, Section 2, Principle 2, of the Plan, proposes that the "neighborhood ... retain access to affordable housing," as a stated redevelopment principle; and Page 6 of 8 WHEREAS, Section 2, Principle 3, of the Plan, discusses that there "must be variety in [affordable] housing options," as a stated redevelopment principle; and WHEREAS, Section 2, Principle 14, of the Plan, also provides to "restore a sense of community and unify the area culturally... to do whatever is in [the CRA's] power to bring back... Overtown its... sense of place [and] cultural distinctiveness" as a stated redevelopment principle; and WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the SEOPW CRA has previously allocated funds toward initiatives designed to enhance sustainability and promote economic revitalization within the Redevelopment Area; and WHERAS, the SEOPW CRA Emergency Rental Assistance Program ("Program") is being created in response to rent hikes in the Redevelopment Area over the years since the post -pandemic real estate boom, and is anticipated to provide relief to the increasingly burdensome costs of housing for many residents, during a projected, oncoming economic recession and further, a projected boost in evictions throughout the Redevelopment Area ("Purpose"); and WHEREAS, the Program is an improved rendition of the former SEOPW CRA emergency rental assistance program that occurred in Fiscal Year ("FY") 2022-2024, and is informed by the original administering of that program; and WHEREAS, the Executive Director wishes to allocate funds, in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($500,000.00), for FY 2025-2026, to establish the Program and support housing sustainability for qualifying applicants ("Purpose"); and WHEREAS, Program applicants will complete an application in order to request funding; and WHEREAS, funds are available from Account No. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000 for the Program; and WHEREAS, the Executive Director is requesting authority to disburse funds from the Program to qualifying applicants as a grant, on a reimbursement basis, or directly to vendors upon presentation of invoices and satisfactory documentation without the need for further approval from the Board of Commissioners and within the Executive Director's discretion; and WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners finds that authorizing this Resolution would further the SEOPW CRA redevelopment goals and objectives; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The Program is hereby established with funds in an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($500,000.00) from Account No. 10050.920101.883000.0000.00000 — "Other Grants and Aids." Page 7 of 8 Section 3. The Executive Director is hereby authorized' to disburse the funds, at his discretion as a grant, on a reimbursement basis, or directly to vendors upon presentation of invoices and satisfactory documentation to eligible business applicants, subject to funding availability, for the Purpose stated herein. Section 4. The Executive Director is authorized' to administer the Program and to negotiate and execute any and all agreements, and documents necessary, all in a form acceptable to Counsel, for the purpose stated herein. Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY: e B ounsel 11 / 13/2025 1 The herein authorization is further subject to compliance with all legal requirements that may be imposed, including but not limited to those prescribed by applicable State law, City Charter and City Code provisions, as adopted by the SEOPW CRA. Page 8 of 8