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IURA staff: city in HUD compliance, CAPER public hearing planned; DRI outreach and loan timing remain concerns
Summary
Staff told the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency the city is in compliance with HUD reporting but must hold a CAPER public hearing this year; members also heard that DRI applications are beginning to arrive and that loan commitments could sit pending DRI selection, creating timeline complications.
Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency staff reported on July 23 that HUD’s program-year review finds the city in compliance with reporting requirements but reminded the agency that the CAPER (annual performance and evaluation report) requires a public hearing this year in addition to the 30-day public-comment period.
“Basically, it says that the city is in compliance with all reporting and compliance requirements,” a staff member said of the HUD letter, while adding that regulations governing the CAPER public-hearing requirement are hazy and that the agency has historically relied on a public-comment notice. Staff said the agency will hold both the 30-day public comment period and a public hearing this year and will try to schedule the hearing for a regular IURA meeting.
The staff presentation included the June grant summary and loan/lease reports: most loans are current, one lease payment is typically 15 days late, and the agency is waiting on HUD approval of the 2026 action plan before drawing down funds tied to the new year. Staff warned that larger DRI-related projects may present timing complications because projects often need selection in the strategic investment plan before certain funds are usable.
“We might have to explore opportunities or timeline issues on how to approach them,” the staff member said, noting that loan commitments made while projects await DRI selection could be effectively on hold for nine to 12 months.
Board members asked practical questions about job-creation metrics and meeting logistics for the CAPER hearing. The Chair encouraged outreach: the city held its first local planning committee meeting for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) earlier in the month, a public workshop is scheduled for Aug. 18, and the open call for projects begins Aug. 20. The Chair also announced the common council liaison (Mr. Kiel) had resigned and that a new liaison will be named for the August IURA meeting.
Staff additionally told the board they plan to transition to retirement in June 2028 and offered the notice to provide time for transition planning.
Why it matters
The CAPER public hearing is a procedural requirement HUD staff flagged; holding both a 30-day comment period and a public hearing brings the agency into clearer compliance. The timing of DRI selections can affect whether projects can draw awarded funds promptly; that timing risk can delay project starts or leave loan commitments pending.
Next steps
Staff will schedule the CAPER public hearing (ideally within a regular IURA meeting), circulate DRI meeting and application information to interested committees, and continue tracking spend-down and loan timing issues as applications arrive.
