The United Christian Advocacy Network City Mission will receiving $100,000 in 2018 Community Development Block Grant funding from the city of Jamestown for renovations. The UCAN City Mission will also be receiving $20,000 from the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation for the rehabilitation project. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

The city of Jamestown is helping an organization that exists to help those who need to break the cycle of crime, substance abuse and poverty by promoting a positive lifestyle through multi-disciplinary programs and partnerships focused on and driven by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

On Monday, Vince DeJoy, city development director, presented to the Jamestown City Corp. the proposed funding action plan for 2018 Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership programs. This year city officials will be receiving $1,158,549 in CDBG funding, an increase of $102,337, or 9 percent, compared to 2017. The city’s HOME funding will be $326,751, an increase of 30 percent, compared to last year.

DeJoy said the plan includes funding the United Christian Advocacy Network $100,000 for structural repairs to masonry and to paint the exterior of the building. He said the Jamestown Renaissance Center is also funding the UCAN City Mission renovation project $20,000. He added the total cost for rehabilitating the facility is between $125,000-$135,000.

During the public speaking portion of the meeting, Dale Robbins, UCAN City Mission board member, and Scott Linden, UCAN City Mission program director, talked about the need to renovate the building, the former Everett Hotel, which was constructed more than 125 years ago. The homeless shelter reopened in 2017 after it was closed in 2015. Linden said the mission, located at 7 W. First St., helped around 215 people by providing food, shelter and laundry services in the last year.

DeJoy said the CDBG action plan also includes $110,000 for the North Main Street corridor owner-occupied rehabilitation program. DeJoy said with assistance from the JRC, they are working to improve the corridor in accordance with the Unite North Main Street study done by Clark Patterson Lee.

The Unite North Main Street revitalization project is part of a comprehensive, proactive approach the Jamestown community has taken toward redeveloping and revitalizing the city. The project was started in October 2015 when the JRC hired Clark Patterson Lee to perform a study on the North Main Street corridor.

Last year, the Unite North Main Street revitalization project started with three kick off renovation endeavors. With the assistance of Northwest Bank, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, city of Jamestown and the JRC, three structures — Elegant Edibles, Emmanuel Temple Church and a private residence — along North Main Street received funding for renovations.

DeJoy said the 2018 CDBG funding would go toward addressing housing code violations, both exterior and interior. The funding will also go toward improving electric, plumbing, heating and structural issues to houses along the corridor.

The 2018 CDBG action plan also includes $180,000 for neighborhood infrastructure improvements; $125,00 for neighborhood demolition; $120,000 for facade improvements; $120,000 for American With Disabilities Act public facility improvements; $115,000 for downtown handicapped accessibility improvements; and $56,839 for a code enforcement officer.

As for the HOME program, DeJoy said $245,063 will go toward owner-occupied rehabilitation. He said this program helps homeowners bring their houses up to code by funding 50 to 100 percent of the renovation project. He added that around $49,000 will also go toward a local housing organization like CHRIC or CODE, which is a HOME program mandate.

During the public speaking portion of the meeting, Lisa Hatch, JRC executive director, said the JRC had requested $120,000 in funding from the city for the Unite North Main Street projects and for the Renaissance Block Challenge program. The Renaissance Block Challenge rewards neighborhood groups to work together in an effort to reinvest in their own homes and communities. In 2018, each participating property owner in the program is eligible for matching funds for exterior improvements up to $2,000.

Funding for the 2018 Renaissance Block Challenge program is provided by the John Alfred and Oscar Johnson Memorial Trust, with support from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation and The Lenna Foundation. In 2015, it was announced the Johnson Foundation would donate $500,000 toward the block challenge program, which was scheduled to fund the majority of the program though 2019.

After Hatch spoke, Vanessa Weinert, At-Large councilwoman, said she supports the JRC’s block challenge program and perhaps funding could be allocated toward the program.

Andrew Liuzzo, At-Large city councilman, said he is not happy with the time the council has to look through the action plan before voting on it, which is scheduled to take place Monday, June 25. He said giving the council only three weeks to review the plan doesn’t leave much time to implement any changes before they have to vote on the plan to meet U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deadlines.

Doug Champ, city resident, said during the public speaking portion that he believes the amount of funding going toward administration is too high. He said if you add the amount for the code enforcement officer with the cost of administration, it totals around 24 percent of the $1,158,549 the city is receiving through the 2018 CDBG program.

Funding for administration for the CDBG program according to HUD’s guidelines is 20 percent. If you don’t calculate the code enforcement officer as an administrative cost, city officials are below the 20 percent cap, with administration cost at $226,710.

HUD officials have three purposes for the use of CDBG funding. First is to prevent or eliminate slums or blight, second is to benefit low-to-moderate-income residents and third is to meet a particular urgent need for the municipality. The CDBG program stipulates that at least 70 percent of funding must be used for low-to-moderate-income benefit activities, and no more than 30 percent of funds can be used for slums and blighted areas.

Sam Teresi, Jamestown mayor, said the public can offer input on the proposed plan up until the council vote. Draft plans are available to review at the city Municipal Building, located at 200 E. Third St., in the Development Department on the third floor and the mayor’s office on the fourth floor.