4.5.
Economic Development Authority (EDA)
- Meeting Date:
- 12/11/2014
- By:
- Tim Gladhill, Community Development
Title:
Consider Payment of Building Permit Charges for Single-Family Home; Case of Homes for Our Troops
Purpose/Background:
The purpose of this case is to consider utilization of City funds to finance a Building Permit in an amount not to exceed $4,000. Under the City's Housing Assistance Policy, assistance for disabled veterans is not explicitly listed as a high priority funding request, although it would appear to touch on other individual components of the Housing Assistance Policy. However, it is anticipated that this home will have an affordability component to it, as outlined below. Affordable housing is a high priority of the Housing Assistance Policy. Finally, it would seem reasonable that the need to construct a dwelling that is accessible to an individual with a disability would set this request apart from a traditional, market-rate single-family home.
From the Homes for Our Troops website:
From the Homes for Our Troops website:
Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) is a privately funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization building specially adapted, mortgage-free homes nationwide for the most severely injured Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of these Veterans are multiple amputees, paraplegic, quadriplegic or suffered severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed defending ours, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, over 90 percent of donations to Homes for Our Troops has gone to directly support Veterans.
HFOT builds homes as a departure point for these Veterans to rebuild their lives, and once again become highly productive members of society. Despite their life-altering injuries, many of our Veterans have embarked on new careers, completed their college degrees, or started families. Empowered by the freedom a mortgage-free and specially adapted home brings, these Veterans can now focus on their recovery and returning to their life’s work of serving others. Many have embraced their roles as motivational speakers, sharing their messages of persevering through tragedy with groups and classrooms around the country; others take to a national platform to promote awareness of veteran suicide, homelessness and PTSD. Their incredible stories – far too numerous to include on one page – are the driving force for the work we do here at HFOT. We encourage you to read more about their amazing stories in this website.
As of November 10, 2014, HFOT has built 169 specially adapted homes nationwide. There are currently 50 Veterans on our active project list. Our goal is to build a home for every Veteran who qualifies for one of our specially adapted homes.
HFOT builds homes as a departure point for these Veterans to rebuild their lives, and once again become highly productive members of society. Despite their life-altering injuries, many of our Veterans have embarked on new careers, completed their college degrees, or started families. Empowered by the freedom a mortgage-free and specially adapted home brings, these Veterans can now focus on their recovery and returning to their life’s work of serving others. Many have embraced their roles as motivational speakers, sharing their messages of persevering through tragedy with groups and classrooms around the country; others take to a national platform to promote awareness of veteran suicide, homelessness and PTSD. Their incredible stories – far too numerous to include on one page – are the driving force for the work we do here at HFOT. We encourage you to read more about their amazing stories in this website.
As of November 10, 2014, HFOT has built 169 specially adapted homes nationwide. There are currently 50 Veterans on our active project list. Our goal is to build a home for every Veteran who qualifies for one of our specially adapted homes.
Observations/Alternatives:
Accent Homes, Inc. has been chosen as the build partner for a new home to be built in the City of Ramsey for a severely injured veteran, Army SPC Marco Solt. Marco lost both legs from an enemy improvised explosive device (IED) blast. This home will be provided to the Solt family at no cost through donations of labor and materials and volunteers, as well as funding through the HFOT organization. Accent Homes will donate all contractor fees and supervision costs as well.
Staff did research the organization for any potential issues, and did find any concerns regarding the Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) organization, and two charity rating organizations that gave HFOT a top rated review. CharityWatch, Charity Navigator, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance appear to be the three most commonly referenced charity-rating services. HFOT looks to have received positive reviews across all of these rating organizations below. A summary of the reviews are below:
Staff did research the organization for any potential issues, and did find any concerns regarding the Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) organization, and two charity rating organizations that gave HFOT a top rated review. CharityWatch, Charity Navigator, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance appear to be the three most commonly referenced charity-rating services. HFOT looks to have received positive reviews across all of these rating organizations below. A summary of the reviews are below:
Charity Navigator looks mainly at financial performance metrics and accountability & transparency performance metrics and gave HFOT a 100% rating on Transparency & Accountability and a 96.68% financial rating.
CharityWatch is also known as the American Institute of Philanthropy and gave HFOT an ‘A’ rating (on a scale of F to A+) which is considered a top-rating. Groups included on the Top-Rated list generally spend 75% or more of their budgets on programs, spend $25 or less to raise $100 in public support, do not hold excessive assets in reserve, and receive "open-book" status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to CharityWatch.
The BBB’s Wise Giving Aliance also passed HFOT in all 20 of its standards for charity accountability.
GuideStar gave HFOT an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
Funding Source:
Staff is evaluating potential funding sources and will discuss a recommendation at the meeting. Potential funding sources include the Anoka County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) Fund, the Council Contingency Fund, or the EDA Fund. Total costs of the Permit (including State Surcharges) is estimated at approximately $4,000.
Recommendation:
Staff is evaluating potential funding sources and will discuss a recommendation at the meeting.
Action:
Motion to recommend/not recommend that the City Council donate funds related to the necessary Building Permit for a new single-family home proposed by Homes for Our Troops.
Attachments
No file(s) attached.
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Kurt Ulrich | Kurt Ulrich | 12/08/2014 09:43 AM |
- Form Started By:
- Tim Gladhill
- Started On:
- 12/03/2014 04:14 PM
- Final Approval Date:
- 12/08/2014