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Board approves multiple HUD‑funded housing allocations and studies, including lease‑to‑purchase conversion
Summary
The board approved a set of housing items tied to HUD funds: a CDBG contract extension for Hope of Evansville, a Bowen five‑year market study, a fair‑housing assessment, a HOME amendment converting two container homes from rental to lease‑purchase, and Affordable Housing Trust Fund down‑payment assistance.
At its Aug. 1 meeting, the City of Evansville Board of Public Works approved several housing-related contracts and amendments that use federal HUD programs or locally administered housing funds.
Unidentified Speaker 3 explained that the City Development Department (DMD) requested multiple approvals: a CDBG amendment (extend contract for Hope of Evansville to 06/30/2025, $68,500) to allow reimbursement for exterior renovations at 900 North Main; a five‑year market study/housing needs assessment contract with Bowen National Research LLC for $42,900 to support the consolidated plan; a contract with City Consultants and Research LLC for an assessment of fair housing for $25,003 (a HUD consolidated‑plan requirement); a HOME program amendment (Cape 1106–1108 Cody Street) that would convert two container homes from rental to lease‑purchase with total HOME funds of $293,271.84; and an Affordable Housing Trust Fund allocation of $40,000 to Hope of Evansville to provide $2,000 each in down‑payment assistance for up to 20 Habitat for Humanity homebuyers.
Unidentified Speaker 3 said the Bowen study is a recurring contract used to meet HUD consolidated‑plan requirements and that the fair‑housing assessment is selected through an RFP process. For the HOME amendment, she said HUD HOME rules require specific contract language and affordability periods to permit the conversion from rental to lease‑purchase. The Hope of Evansville amendments and allocations were presented as mechanisms to spend previously awarded CDBG and HOME funds and to provide down‑payment assistance for homebuyers.
Board members posed brief clarifying questions; each item carried a motion, a second and was approved by voice vote.
The actions approved authorize staff to execute contracts and amendments necessary to continue HUD‑funded programs and local housing assistance; specific contract language and compliance steps with HUD program rules were not read into the record during the meeting.
