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CC SR 20210119 01 - CDBG-CV Grant Authoirzation PUBLIC HEARING Date: January 19, 2021 Subject: Consideration and possible action to approve the proposed Community Development Block Grant budget allocated to the City through the CARES Act (CDBG-CV) and the associated programs. Recommendation: (1) Approve the proposed Community Development Block Grant programs and the budget allocated to the City through the CARES Act (CDBG-CV) in the amount of $86,499; (2) Authorize the Deputy Director of Public Works to adjust the program(s) budget, as necessary, to take into account the final CDBG-CV allocations; and, (3) Authorize the Deputy Director of Public Works to execute an agreement for the CDBG-CV programs with the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA), subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney. 1. Report of Notice Given: Deputy City Clerk 2. Declare Public Hearing Open: Mayor Alegria 3. Request for Staff Report: Mayor Alegria 4. Staff Report & Recommendation: Lauren Ramezani, Public Works Senior Administrative Analyst 5. Council Questions of Staff (factual and without bias): 6. Testimony from members of the public: The normal time limit for each speaker is three (3) minutes. The Presiding Officer may grant additional time to a representative speaking for an entire group. The Mayor also may adjust the time limit for individual speakers depending upon the number of speakers who intend to speak. 7. Declare Hearing Closed/or Continue the Public Hearing to a later date: Mayor Alegria 8. Council Deliberation: The Council may ask staff to address questions raised by the testimony, or to clarify matters. Staff and/or Council may also answer questions posed by speakers during their testimony. The Council will then debate and/or make motions on the matter. 9. Council Action: The Council may: vote on the item; offer amendments or substitute motions to decide the matter; reopen the hearing for additional testimony; continue the matter to a later date for a decision. CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 01/19/2021 AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Public Hearing AGENDA TITLE: Consideration and possible action to approve the proposed Community Development Block Grant budget allocated to the City through the CARES Act (CDBG-CV) and the associated programs. RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION: (1) Approve the proposed Community Development Block Grant programs and the budget allocated to the City through the CARES Act (CDBG-CV) in the amount of $86,499; (2) Authorize the Deputy Director of Public Works to adjust the program(s) budget, as necessary, to take into account the final CDBG-CV allocations; and, (3) Authorize the Deputy Director of Public Works to execute an agreement for the CDBG-CV programs with the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA), subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney. FISCAL IMPACT: The Community Development Block Grant budget for FY 2020-21 is $6,500 as a professional services expenditure. The CARES Act (CDBG-CV) grant allocated to the City will increase the budget to $86,499. The related revenue and expenditure accounts have been adjusted to reflect this increased budget amount. Amount Budgeted: $6,500 Additional Appropriation: $86,499 Account Number(s): 310-300-8842-3301 ($86,499) (CDBG – Misc. Revenue) 310-400-8842-5101 ($10,000) (CDBG – Professional Services) 310-400-8842-4310 ($70,000) (CDBG – Operating Supplies) ORIGINATED BY: Lauren Ramezani, Senior Administrative Analyst REVIEWED BY: Ramzi Awwad, Deputy Director of Public Works APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS: A. April 7, 2020 LACDA Grants Management Unit Bulletin (page A-1) B. Fact Sheet on Federal CDBG-CV Act Grant Funds (page B-1) C. PVP Village Email (page C-1) 1 D. Public Meeting Notice and Affidavit of Posting (page D-1) Additionally, click on the links below for information presented at the December 17, 2019, September 1, 2020, and December 1, 2020, City Council meetings: December 17, 2019 City Council Staff Report and Staff PowerPoint Presentation https://rpv.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3554&meta_id=77948 https://rpv.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3554&meta_id=77988 September 1, 2020 City Council Staff Report and Staff PowerPoint Presentation https://rpv.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3719&meta_id=85933 https://rpv.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3719&meta_id=86027 December 1, 2020 City Council Staff Report https://rpv.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=3775&meta_id=88563 BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION: Through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides grant funds for community development projects to principally benefit persons of low- and moderate- income levels, and/or aid in the prevention of blighted conditions in disadvantaged communities. The CDBG program funds projects with the goal of providing housing, economic, and community development opportunities. The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) administers the program, and the City has participated since 1986. The City’s annual grant allocation is determined by a formula which considers poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing stock, population growth , and the number of cities participating in the countywide program. The formula results in a typical CDBG grant allocation to the City of approximately $150,000 because of the City’s demographics. On December 17, 2019, the City Council directed Staff to present CDBG-eligible social program options for consideration. At the September 1, 2020 City Council meeting, Staff presented such options, which included developing an aging and persons with disabilities program, funding a Meals on Wheels program, funding a Peninsula Seniors Zoom program, and/or funding Palos Verdes Peninsula Village Zoom programs. Staff also informed the City Council that additional Community Development Block Grants- COVID-19 (CDBG-CV) grant funding was available, which could be applied to the social program options presented. These funds, in the amount of $86,499, are restricted to programs for disabled, income-eligible, or senior residents affected by COVID-19. Considering that CDBG-CV funds are available for use toward the options provided on September 1, 2020, the City Council directed Staff to return with a CDBG-CV eligible list 2 of programs including meals for seniors, programs for seniors, and the possibility of a “handyperson” program for the seniors (see link attached). Meanwhile, on December 1, 2020, the City Council approved the CDBG accessible curb ramp project for Fiscal 2021-2022. CDBG-CV Grant On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act was signed into law, which included $5 billion in additional CDBG funding to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 7, 2020, LACDA notified the City that $86,499 in federal CDBG-CV grant funds were available to the City in response to COVID-19 (Attachment A). The funds must be used to cover or reimburse costs to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus when those costs comply with CDBG requirements; i.e. are allocated toward seniors (55 or older), persons with disabilities, and/or income eligible individuals (Attachment B). The grant funds were included in LACDA’s FY 2019-20 budget and require that at least 80% of the funds be expended within three years. Recommended Programs Staff recommends the City Council authorize the following programs that are viable and CDBG-CV eligible: 1. Meals on Wheels (MOW): There are several local independently run MOW organizations including the San Pedro MOW, the Redondo Beach MOW (operated through the Salvation Army) and the Torrance MOW. Staff recommends soliciting proposals from the various local MOW organizations and subsequently entering into an agreement with a selected organization to serve as the vendor of the program. The vendor would provide meals to Rancho Palos Verdes seniors (free to the seniors) and would be reimbursed by the City using the CDBG-CV grant funds. The free-to-seniors meal program would continue until the grant funds are depleted through this, or other, CDBG-CV programs. If this program is authorized by the City Council, Staff would return at a later date to execute a vendor contract. 2. Peninsula Seniors: There are two major providers of senior programs in Rancho Palos Verdes: Peninsula Seniors and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Village (PVP Village). Staff worked with management of these organizations to identify possible programs that would meet the grant’s various restrictions and reporting requirements. Peninsula Seniors could use the CDBG-CV grant funds to partially offset administration and programming costs (membership fees are not eligible) in its efforts to help area seniors. Currently its eligible programs are offered through Zoom, RPVtv and YouTube. The City would enter into an agreement with Peninsula Seniors and reimburse the nonprofit through the CDBG-CV grant funds. 3 The PVP Village, after much deliberation, decline d the grant opportunity. This was mainly due to the grant's short timeline and the lead time needed to adequately educate new members to the Village and fully integrate them into programs and volunteer services. See decline email from PVP Village (Attachment C). The City currently does not, but used to, provide a handyperson program. Thus, at this time, this program is not eligible but will be explored by staff to see if the program can be reinstated. CDBG-CV Program Budget 1. Grant administration: approximately $6,500 is needed for grant administration, including reporting and compliance monitoring. The City Council approved a contract with consultant Michael Baker International on October 1, 2020 and budgeted for this service. 2. MOW: Staff recommends a grant appropriation of approximately $70,000 toward the MOW program. The cost of a daily meal is estimated at $10 per day; therefore, up to 7,000 meals could be distributed. Staff contacted the local MOWs and was informed that currently approximately 20 RPV seniors per week receive meals. Depending on the level of participation and the number of meals each person is served per week, Staff estimates that this funding level could allow the program to operate for approximately 14 to 23 weeks. 3. Peninsula Seniors: Staff recommends a grant appropriation of approximately $10,000, which is the amount expected to be eligible for reimbursement based on Peninsula Seniors programming. Depending on the level of participation and based on an estimated reimbursement request amount of $10 per senior per month, the grant funds could be depleted in 12-18 months. The costs described above will be covered by the CDBG-CV grant allocated to the City in the amount of $86,499. In order to memorialize approved programs, the City will be required to execute an agreement with the LACDA. Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Deputy Director of Public Works to work with the City Attorney to execute the requirement agreement and make adjustments to the program(s) budget, as necessary, to take into account the final CDBG-CV allocations. Promoting Programs If approved, staff will promote both programs via the City’s newsletter, social media, listserv announcements, press releases in local papers, the Peninsula Seniors newsletter, RPVtv, and select MOW websites. LACDA Approval Upon approval by City Council, the City must prepare and submit a summary of its proposed CDBG-CV projects, including a description and budget, to LACDA for review and approval. 4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Public Notification A public hearing with a two-week notice is typically conducted each year for approval of a CDBG funded project. For CDBG-CV funds, LACDA has waived the public hearing requirement, and only requires a five-day public notice/comment period. To provide greater transparency, the City is conducting this public hearing requesting approval of the CDBG-CV programs. Requisite notice was posted prior to the public hearing (Attachment D). CONCLUSION: Staff has evaluated several potential programs eligible for CDBG-CV funds. The most viable options at this time are the MOW program and the Peninsula Seniors programs. MOW provides RPV seniors and/or persons with disabilities a free meal, and Peninsula Seniors provides programming for RPV seniors. Other options were evaluated and found to be not viable for various reasons. Staff therefore recommends the City Council authorize allocating the City’s CDBG-CV funds as outlined above for the MOW and Peninsula Seniors programs. ALTERNATIVES: In addition to the Staff recommendations, the following alternative action s are available for the City Council’s consideration: 1. Direct Staff to conduct further research to identify other eligible CDBG-CV programs return to the City Council. 2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate. 5 A-1 NUMBER: 20-0006 SUBJECT: USING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) TO RESPOND TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC DATE: April 7, 2020 EFFECTIVE DATE: IMMEDIATELY PAGE 1 OF 3 TO: PARTICIPATING CITIES This bulletin provides information to Los Angeles Urban County CDBG participating cities on additional funding , revisions to various program provisions. and shares ideas on adjustments cities and service providers are making to provide a rapid response to the critical needs of residents and businesses impacted by COVID-19. On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which includes $5 billion in additional CDBG funding to prevent , prepa re for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following is a breakdown of the funding and how HUD plans to allocate it nationwide: • $2 billion as a direct allocation to state and local governments through the existing formula for all grantees that received a Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-2021 CDBG allocation. The Los Angeles Urban County has been allocated $13,668,315 . » The Los Angeles Urban County Participating City CDBG-CARES Act supplemental allocations are included on page 4 of this bulletin. They are based on the current CDBG allocation methodology and are expected to be available by late April. • $2 billion allocated directly to state and local governments, at the discretion of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), using a new formula to be developed by HUD including prioritizing risk of transmission of coronavirus , number of coronavirus cases compared to the national average, and economic and housing market disruptions. HUD has not yet determined the amount the Los Angeles Urban County will receive under this allocation method . • $1 billion to States based on a new formula developed by HUD including taking into account public health needs, risk of transmission of coronavirus, number of coronavirus cases compared to the national average, and economic and housing market interruptions. States may implement activities within both entitlement areas and in non-entitlement areas that do not receive a direct allocation from HUD or participate in an Urban County program . It is currently unknown how much the Los Angeles Urban County may receive directly or indirectly from the State of California. Community Development Division-Grants Management Unit (CDD-GMU) Puttiug Dollars Into Action A-2 Participating Cities April 7, 2020 Page 2 Revisions to Program Provisions The CARES Act identifies program provisions that allow revisions to the following CDBG administrative requirements. These provisions apply to current and new FY 2019-2020 and FY 2020-2021 CDBG-funded activities and new CDBG-CARES Act-funded activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID- 19 pandemic: • Suspends the 15% cap on public services; • Allows virtual hearings as long as national or local health authorities recommend social distancing and limit public gatherings for public health reasons; and • Allows the public comment period for substantial amendments and for the FY 2020-2021 Action Plan to be reduced from 30 days to five (5) days. Responding to Community Needs As our cities and other partner agencies have taken precautionary measures to keep their employees and clients safe, many programs are adapting operations to remain focused on the continuity of essential services. The majority of our cities and agencies are complying with the "safer at home" directive by allowing personnel to work remotely and begin to implement alternative methods of service delivery. With your input, an assessment of the operational status of your agencies has identified what programs have proceeded, been modified, or suspended. It has revealed many examples of how agencies have remained proactive in assessing community needs and remaining operational through virtual services and other modifications that adapt congregate activities to virtual services and other changes to program delivery. On March 18, 2020, through CDBG-EDL message "HUD Publishes CDBG Quick Guide to Support Infectious Disease Response -COV/019", we provided information on COVID19-CDBG eligible activities. The following shares ideas on what has been learned about some preliminary local efforts and adjustments you might consider to continue providing valuable services in your community: ORIGINAL ACTIVITY MODIFIED OR ENHANCED ACTIVITY Senior Activities include onsite Virtual case management, referrals, and information services senior club activities, meals, home via electronic devices. Meal programs modified to include visits, case management, information additional deliveries and "grab & go", group online activities via services and referrals. Zoom or other social platforms, virtual home visits, book clubs, games, links to adventure, hobby, and educational websites. Handvworker Program activities Staff can conduct program outreach distributing marketing including minor home repairs and materials while assisting another existing program in the correciion of minor code violations. delivery of senior meals or other community efforts. Home Rehabilitation Program Offer broadband infrastructure wiring or broadband (internet) activities include providing service subsidy to income-eligible households. grants/loans for eligible home repairs for single-family residences. Yo uth Enr ichment Program Programs modified to offer teleservices, including online provides onsite activities such as tutoring and virtual classes. "Grab & Go" activity packets may homework assistance, youth be provided as a service. Re-program funds to purchase development, and recreation equipment and supplies. programs. A-3 Participating Cities April 7, 2020 Page 3 Other eligible activities jurisdictions may consider are short-term subsistence payments for up to three (3) months of assistance on behalf of an individual or family for rent or utilities and assisting small and micro businesses through loans and grants. Repurposing and Adding CDBG-Funded Programs If your agency anticipates having unspent funds due to the suspension of currently funded activities or has available unprogrammed funds, you may amend projects to increase the budgets of other current CDBG- funded programs that are in greater need. As authorized in the CARES Act, participating cities may exceed the 15% public service cap by allocating additional funds to COVID-19-related public service programs. Unless it is a local requirement, no public notice or Council approval is required. To allocate additional funds to existing CDBG-funded activities that can respond to COVID-19, please send an email request with amendment details to your Contract Manager and they will process the amendment for you . Approved modifications to existing activities may begin immediately and do not have to wait for the amendment to be executed . The deadline for amendments to existing CDBG-funded activities is May 1, 2020. To add a new project or cancel an existing CDBG-funded activity, the CARES Act has reduced the public notice period from 30 days to 5 days. The Los Angeles Urban County Consolidated Plan Citizen Participation Plan is being revised to not require City Council approval for new projects. Unless it is a local requirement, this will not be required for new CDBG-funded activities implemented under the CARES Act. Further guidance on the process to add new activities utilizing CDBG-CARES Act Supplemental Funding is forthcoming . We will also provide any additional information regarding additional funds and other program requirements and opportunities as soon as it is received. Thank you for your ongoing partnership. We look forward to working with you in putting CDBG dollars into action to help our residents and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Should you have any questions, please contact your Contract Manager. Sincerely, m177h~hr -/ A-PB DAVON BARBOUR, Director Community & Economic Development Division DB:DV:RW:ob K:\GMU COMMON\BULLETINS (Working File -WORD Version)\CDBG\2020\Using CDBG to respond to COVID-19.docx Enclosure A-4 CDBG-CARES ACT SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING CITY __) $ ALLOCATION AGOURA HILLS 44,646 ARCADIA 180,088 AVALON 24,702 AZUSA 241,825 BELL 290 958 BELL GARDENS 374,513 BEVERLY HILLS 100,414 CALABASAS 59 ,634 CERRITOS 116,563 CLAREMONT 92 ,7 59 COMMERCE 74,890 COVINA 177,848 CUDAHY 220,908 CULVER CITY 130,389 DIAMOND BAR 137,962 DUARTE 97,824 ELSEGUNDO 46,359 HAWAIIAN GARDENS 117 977 HIDDEN HILLS 3,026 HERMOSA BEACH 37,479 IRWINDALE 5,625 LA CANADA-FLINTRIDGE 35,942 LA HABRA HEIGHTS 10,478 LA MIRADA 157,648 LA PUENTE 211,520 LAVERNE 90,230 LAWNDALE 194,224 LOMITA 89,527 MALIBU 39 ,450 MANHATTAN BEACH 65 ,663 MAYWOOD 255,354 MONROVIA 12],380 RANCHO PALOS VERDES '/ L 86,499 ROLLING HILLS ESTS 17,856 SAN DIMAS 83,006 SAN FERNANDO 136,373 SAN GABRIEL 186,148 SAN MARINO 30 ,806 SANTA FE SPRINGS 78,692 SIERRA MADRE 24,880 SIGNAL HILL 64,962 SOUTH EL MONTE 128,099 SOUTH PASADENA 73,528 TEMPLE CITY 123,206 TORRANCE 444,081 WALNUT 73,877 WEST HOLLYWOOD 138,241 WESTLAKE VILLAGE 18,250 1 CDBG-CV COVID-19 Fact Sheet Updated: July 10, 2020 ____________________________________________________________________________ This fact sheet provides information to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and CDBG CARES Act (CDBG-CV) grantees on using grant funds and related flexibilities provided by the CARES Act as communities work to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19. FAQs Use of CDBG and CDBG-CV Grant Funds for COVID-19 Recovery CARES Act and CDBG General Information Q1: Where do I find the CARES Act? When was it enacted? A: The CARES Act, PL 116-136, was signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020. It is available online at : https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748, and the section dealing with CDBG can be found under the subheading “Community Development Fund.” Q2: Where can I find the CDBG regulations? A: The regulations can be found at the following websites:  For entitlements, States, and insular areas: https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/communitydevelopment  For the Consolidated Plan: https://www.hudexchange.info/program_offices/comm_planning/consolidatedplan Q3: How do I explain CDBG to local officials and citizens who do not know much about it? A: Resources can be found at the following websites:  Explore CDBG: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg/cdbg-ta- products/#all-products  Public Services video: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg/public- services/  Public facilities video: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg/public- facilities-and-improvements/ B-1 2 Q4: Is there a basic guide to CDBG that isn’t a regulation? A: Yes, HUD and HUD’s Technical Assistance providers have developed resources for grantees. These include:  Basically CDBG for Entitlements: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/19/basically-cdbg-training-guidebook- and-slides/  Basically CDBG for States: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/269/basically-cdbg-for-states/  The Guide to National Objectives and Eligible Activities for Entitlement Communities: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/89/community-development-block-grant- program-cdbg-guide-to-national-objectives-and-eligible-activities-for-entitlement- communities/  The Guide to National Objectives and Eligible Activities for State CDBG Programs: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/2179/guide-national-objectives-eligible- activities-state-cdbg-programs/ Q5: Where can I find contact information for a CDBG grantee? A: Grantee contact information is available on the HUD Exchange at: https://www.hudexchange.info/grantees/ Q6: Does HUD have any ideas for how CDBG can help with pandemic response, prevention, or preparation? A: HUD issued a Quick Guide to CDBG Eligible Activities to Support Coronavirus and Other Infectious Disease Response. You can find it on the HUD Exchange here: https://www.hudexchange.info/news/hud-publishes-a-cdbg-quick-guide-to-support- infectious-disease-response/ Duplication of Benefits Q7: What is a duplication of benefits? A: A duplication of benefits occurs when a person, household, business, government, or other entity receives financial assistance from multiple sources for the same purpose, and the total assistance received for that purpose is more than the total need for assistance. The CARES Act provides that the Secretary shall ensure there are adequate procedures in place to prevent any duplication of benefits as required by section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155) and in accordance with section 1210 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (division D of Public Law 115–254; 132 Stat. 3442), which amended section 312 of the Robert T. B-2 3 Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155). HUD will require each grantee to have procedures in place to prevent the duplication of benefits when it provides financial assistance with CDBG-CV funds. Grant funds may not be used to pay for a particular cost if another source of financial assistance is available to fully pay for that same cost. Q8: We are hearing HUD representatives say that HUD stresses that CDBG-CV funds should not be used in a way that duplicates other resources. Is that an accurate representation of HUD's guidance? Would it be fair to read that as a caution against applying these funds to uses supported by the rest of the CARES Act? A: CDBG-CV grantees must have policies and procedures in place to prevent duplication of benefits with Stafford Act and other CARES Act programs. This means that grantees may not use CDBG-CV funds for costs already fully covered by other programs. Many other programs are providing similar advice. HUD is not cautioning grantees to avoid the same uses as other CARES Act programs if unmet need exists and the use is CDBG-CV eligible. Rather, HUD is advising grantees to be strategic in selecting program designs that best align funding sources with local needs. Practically, CDBG-CV funds cannot be used to pay for eligible costs that have already been paid for, or will be paid for, by another Federal program, insurance, or other sources. If this occurs, the grantee must repay its CDBG-CV grant. (This does not include the reimbursement of costs previously incurred by the grantee as authorized under the CARES Act.) A grantee must check to see that subrecipients, assisted individuals or families, businesses, and other entities that receive CDBG-CV assistance have not previously received, or will not receive, duplicative assistance from another source before CDBG- CV assistance is provided. This duplication of benefits analysis may be accomplished in various ways including by requiring these entities or beneficiaries to provide a self- certification indicating that they have not received a duplicative benefit, requiring them to fill out a questionnaire listing potentially duplicative assistance that they have already received, or reasonably anticipate receiving, and through other means. The grantee must do this duplication of benefits analysis before providing CDBG-CV assistance and should only pay for unmet needs/needs not met by other sources of assistance. The grantee must also require that if a subgrantee, individual or family, business, or other entity subsequently receives a duplicative benefit, it agrees to repay the grantee. A CDBG-CV grantee may permit payment of a cost that will be or is likely to be paid by another source in the future if the person or entity receiving the assistance enters an agreement to repay the CDBG-DR funds when the other source of assistance is received. B-3 4 Q9a: What is another option to complete a duplication of benefits analysis at a project or activity level? When assistance is provided to entities for CDBG activities, including activities that are part of a larger project, a grantee may complete a duplication of benefits analysis by developing an overall budget for COVID-19 preparation, prevention and response that demonstrates the funding need for the activity and the funding reasonably anticipated. (HUD has described this on stakeholder webinars as being similar in many ways to a “sources and uses” analysis for a housing or economic development project.) This budget should include all Federal and non-Federal funding, including in-kind donations. If the budget shows that the need is greater than the funding sources, there is no duplication of benefits. The recipient must do this duplication of benefits analysis before providing CDBG-CV assistance and may only pay for unmet needs/needs not met by other sources of assistance. When assistance is provided to individuals, the duplication of benefits analysis must examine other sources the person has or will receive for the same purpose (i.e.cost). Q9b: How can a grantee prevent a duplication of benefits? A: A grantee can prevent duplication of benefits by having an awareness of other assistance that its community may receive for COVID-19 prevention, preparation and response and designing its CDBG-CV program and activities to target unmet needs. Q10: What happens if there is a duplication of benefits? A: HUD will require the grantee to repay the CDBG-CV grant with non-Federal funds. CARES Act and Program Implementation Q11: What are the CDBG program flexibilities available under the CARES Act? A: HUD published guidance on CARES Act Flexibilities for CDBG Funds Used to Support Coronavirus Response. The document is available here: https://files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/CARES-Act-Flexibilities-CDBG- Funds-Used-Support-Coronavirus-Response.pdf Q12: The CARES Act suspended the public services limitation for what purpose and which grants? A: Pursuant to the CARES Act, the public services cap in section 105(a)(8) (42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(8)) and 24 CFR 570.201(e) does not apply to CDBG-CV grants, or to FY 2019 and 2020 CDBG grant funds used to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus. B-4 5 Q13: Is emergency rental assistance eligible under CDBG? A: Yes, with limits. First, other assistance may be available for this purpose from the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program, or under other Federal or State emergency programs, so a grantee must be alert for possible duplication of benefits in program design and execution. In terms of eligibility, CDBG funds may not be used for income payments, which are not included among eligible activities in section 105(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 for States, and which are expressly prohibited by 24 CFR 570.207(b)(4) in the Entitlement CDBG Regulations. Income payments mean a series of subsistence-type grant payments made to an individual or family for items such as food, clothing, housing (rent or mortgage) or utilities. The definition of income payments excludes emergency payments made over a period of up to three consecutive months to the provider of such items or services on behalf of an individual or family. Such emergency payments are eligible as a public service. Q14: Can I use the Urgent Need national objective? A: Yes, to some extent. At least 70 percent of CDBG-CV funds must assist activities that meet the Low- and Moderate-Income national objective. The remaining 30 percent may be used for activities that meet either the Urgent Need national objective or the Slums and Blight national objective. To meet the urgent need national objective criteria at 24 CFR 570.208(c), the Entitlement CDBG program requires a recipient to certify that the activity is designed to alleviate existing conditions which pose a serious and immediate threat to the health and welfare of the community which are of recent origin or recently became urgent, that the recipient is unable to finance the activity on its own, and that other sources of funds are not available. In the State CDBG program, the criteria at 24 CFR 570.483(d) require that the local government provides this certification and the State makes the determination of the same. Q15: How do I add CDBG-CV to my Action Plan and submit to HUD? A: A grantee may amend its FY2019 plan (or its FY2020 plan) to include the CDBG- CV, ESG-CV, and HOPWA-CV funding. This means that a grantee that has not yet submitted its FY 2020 plan does not need to expedite its FY2020 plan submission to receive its CARES Act funding; instead, the grantee may make a substantial amendment to the FY 2019 Action Plan. The FY 2020 annual action plan is still required to be submitted for the FY 2020 formula programs, including CDBG. A grantee that has submitted a FY 2020 annual action plan to HUD that was marked “review completed” in IDIS or not disapproved within 45 days, must amend its FY 2020 plan to include CARES Act funding. Other grantees may include CARES Act funding in either a substantial amendment to the FY2019 plan or an original FY 2020 plan B-5 6 submission. Grantees are encouraged to choose the most expeditious option given individual circumstances. HUD has issued waivers to permit grantees to prepare substantial amendments to their most recent annual action plan, including their 2019 annual action plan. The substantial amendments must identify the proposed use of all funds and how the funds will be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. The waivers require grantees to submit the following to HUD: the substantial amendment describing the use of CDBG- CV funds, a SF-424, SF-424D, and the certifications at 24 CFR 91.225(a) and (b) or 24 CFR 91.325(a) and (b). Q16: Will HUD expedite reviews? A: Yes, normally, HUD reviews Consolidated Plans and Action Plans within 45 days. For CDBG-CV, HUD plans to expedite reviews. Q17: The CARES Act says grantees may reimburse for coronavirus preparation, response, and prevention costs. How will that work? A: The CARES Act provides that CDBG-CV funds may be used to cover or reimburse allowable costs of activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus incurred by a State or locality regardless of the date on which such costs were incurred. Grantees may also pay costs in accordance with pre-agreement cost authority under 24 CFR 570.489(b) (States) and pre-award cost authority under 24 CFR 570.200(h) (Entitlements). Reimbursed costs must comply with all grant requirements, must be costs to prevent, prepare for, or respond to coronavirus, and must not constitute a duplication of benefits. Q18: Will HUD publish a Federal Register Notice? A: HUD intends to issue a notice in the Federal Register to provide additional waivers, alternative requirements, and the rules implementing CARES Act requirements. This will facilitate and expedite the use of the funds for preventing, preparing for, and responding to coronavirus. Q19: What is a virtual hearing and how do I do one? Do I have to do a public hearing? A: The CARES Act provides that, for as long as national or local health authorities recommend social distancing and limiting public gatherings for public health reasons, a grantee may create virtual public hearings to fulfill applicable public hearing requirements related to plans for the use of FY2019, FY2020, and CDBG-CV grants. The CARES Act also provides that any such virtual hearings shall provide: (1) reasonable notification and access for citizens in accordance with the grantee’s certifications, (2) timely responses from local officials to all citizen questions and issues; and (3) public access to all questions and responses. Some platforms for virtual hearings are Facebook, B-6 7 Zoom, Skype, email, and conference calls, but the grantee is not limited to these methods. Additionally, grantees must take appropriate actions to encourage the participation of all residents, including the elderly, minorities, and non-English speaking persons, as well as persons with disabilities. For an amendment, a hearing is required if the grantee’s citizen participation plan requires one. (To take advantage of the CARES Act provisions, a grantee may amend its citizen participation plan concurrently with its CDBG-CV plan or amendment publication.) For an action plan or Consolidated Plan, hearing requirements are contained in 24 CFR 91.105(e) for entitlement communities and 24 CFR 91.115(b)(3) for states. Q20: Are the CARES Act flexibilities just for CDBG-CV or may a grantee access them for the main program as well? A: Some flexibilities also apply to FY2019 or FY2020 grants as well as CDBG-CV. HUD posted a guide to the flexibilities here: https://files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/CARES-Act-Flexibilities-CDBG- Funds-Used-Support-Coronavirus-Response.pdf Q21: Does an Urban County have to consider the needs of all of its participating units of general local government in designing and implementing its program? A: Every grantee should consider the needs of all citizens who may reasonably be expected to participate in or be affected by CDBG or CDBG-CV programs. Urban Counties that normally distribute CDBG funds on a proportional basis among all participating jurisdictions should consider whether their normal procedures would result in funding awards that are too small to be used expeditiously and productively by the participating jurisdictions. Q22: Will HUD extend the deadline for CAPERs? A: HUD has issued a waiver to the 2019 CAPER Submission. The Waiver provides grantees an additional 90 days to submit their 2019 CAPER. Grantees may now submit the 2019 CAPER within 180 days of the end of their 2019 program year. The Waiver can be found at the following link: https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CPD/documents/CPD- COVID-19-CAPER-Waiver-050420-signed-JG.pdf Q23: Can I have relief from Single Audit requirements and deadlines? A: The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum, M-20-17, dated March 19, 2020 (available here) discusses the Single Audit submission extension [2 CFR 200.512] and modifies prior guidance found in the M-20-11 memo, dated March 9, 2020. B-7 8 Pursuant to the March 19th memo, awarding agencies, in their capacity as cognizant or oversight agencies for audit, should allow recipients and subrecipients that have not yet filed their single audits with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse as of March 19, 2020, that have fiscal year-ends through June 30, 2020, to delay the completion and submission of the Single Audit reporting package, as required under Subpart F of 2 CFR § 200.501 - Audit Requirements, to six (6) months beyond the normal due date. No further action by awarding agencies is required to enact this extension. This extension does not require individual recipients and subrecipients to seek approval for the extension by the cognizant or oversight agency for audit; however, recipients and subrecipients should maintain documentation of the reason for the delayed filing. Recipients and subrecipients taking advantage of this extension would still qualify as a "low-risk auditee" under the criteria of 2 CFR § 200.520 (a) – Criteria for a low-risk auditee. Q24: How will HUD handle the CDBG timeliness requirements in FY2020? A: HUD has a statutory responsibility to review a grantee’s performance at least annually to determine whether the grantee has the continuing capacity to carry out grant activities in a timely manner. HUD will continue its oversight of grantee progress and will notify grantees who are not progressing as expected. However, in the normal course of oversight, if a CDBG grantee does not carry out its activities in a timely manner, HUD consults with the grantee to determine the causes. If the causes are beyond the grantee’s control, as coronavirus (COVID-19) is, HUD does not take corrective action or sanction, but works with the grantee to ensure that the grantee is timely at the next annual checkpoint. Q25: How do I do electronic signatures? A: On March 22, 2020, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memorandum providing guidance on the use of technology to support mission continuity in response to coronavirus. The guidance is in the form of Frequently Asked Questions and includes OMB guidance for the use of e-signatures. Also included in the Frequently Asked Questions are resources for implementing technology. A copy of the memorandum and related Frequently Asked Questions can be found here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/M-20-19.pdf Q26: Is assistance to hospitals or clinics a CDBG eligible activity? A: Please see the Quick Guide to CDBG Eligible Activities to Support Coronavirus and Other Infectious Disease Response: https://www.hudexchange.info/news/hud-publishes- a-cdbg-quick-guide-to-support-infectious-disease-response/. Note that each such activity must meet a national objective. Additionally, funds can be used for the allocable costs of operating and maintaining a facility used in providing a B-8 9 public service, even if no other costs of providing such a service are assisted with such funds, but funds cannot be used for operation and maintenance costs that cannot be allocated to the public service (see the CDBG Entitlement program regulation at 24 CFR 570.207(b)(2), which states may use as guidance). Further, use for operation and maintenance costs of a public service trigger CDBG requirements. Particularly for hospitals, a grantee may wish to consult with its field office in structuring the assisted activity so that the grantee can clearly identify which public service activities within the hospital are subject to CDBG requirements. In addition, a grantee assisting a hospital or clinic should be aware of the possibility that other federal and state funds may be available for this purpose and take this under consideration in its analysis of duplications of benefit. Q27: May a CDBG grantee provide housing near the hospital for medical staff and first responders who are concerned about going home and possibly bringing back infections that will further spread the disease to those receiving health care at the hospital? And for such staff who become infected and must self-isolate? A: It depends. Housing staff may be necessary as part of an eligible public service, if providing the public service requires the staff to be located in housing that reduces risk of infection through isolation to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The activity must also meet a national objective by either benefitting low-and moderate- income (LMI) persons or meeting an urgent need. To benefit LMI persons, the grantee may demonstrate that at least 51 percent of the public receiving the benefit of the public service provided by the hospital are low-and moderate-income persons, or that the hospital provides services to a primarily residential area with a predominantly LMI population. Alternatively, the activity may meet an urgent need related to the novel coronavirus if the grantee has no other funding for the activity. Grantees are reminded that overall benefit requires that at least 70 percent of the funds be used to benefit LMI persons. Q28: Can CDBG assist a food bank purchasing and delivering emergency food for current and new beneficiaries? How can we meet a national objective? A: Yes. For a food bank located in and serving a primarily residential low/mod area, the grantee may document compliance with low-and-moderate-income (LMI) area benefit national objective criteria. For a food bank serving a non-LMI service area, the regulations provide that the grantee may meet the LMI limited clientele national objective in one of two ways. One way is to document how the nature and location of the activity will result in at least 51 percent of the beneficiaries being LMI. Another would be to collect a simple verifiable income certification from at least 51 percent of the beneficiaries attesting they B-9 10 are LMI. Some grantees have provided a pro tip on obtaining this documentation: If the beneficiary signs a paper certification and the grantee or subrecipient uses a cell phone document scanning app to collect the image prior to instructing the beneficiary to place the completed certification in a storage box, collection of such certifications can be contactless. Either wipe down the pen between signers or provide hand sanitizer. Q 29: May I use CDBG or CDBG-CV for FEMA cost share? A: Yes. Under 24 CFR 570.201(g), CDBG funds may be used to pay the non-Federal share of a Federal grant-in-aid program, provided that the activities funded are otherwise eligible for CDBG assistance and comply with CDBG requirements. State grantees are authorized to pay non-Federal cost share under Section 105(a)(9) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Q30: Can I use CDBG or CDBG-CV to help small businesses? A: Yes, direct assistance to for-profits is a special economic development activity in the CDBG program and it is eligible provided it meets a national objective, underwriting, and public benefit requirements. Because there is a large amount of SBA funding for small businesses in the CARES Act and other sources of financial assistance to small businesses may be available, grantees must also have procedures to prevent duplications of benefits between various programs that provide this type of financial assistance. Q31: Are staff costs of CDBG program administration and eligible activities allowable if the staff person is on leave due to the closure of the grantee or subrecipient’s offices in response to COVID-19? A: Yes. If staff costs meet the program administration requirements of 24 CFR 570.206 or are related to carrying out activities eligible under § 570.201 through § 570.204, the cost of fringe benefits, as provided at 2 CFR 200.431(b), in the form of regular compensation paid to employees during periods of authorized absences from the job, such as for annual leave, family-related leave, sick leave, holidays, court leave, military leave, administrative leave, and other similar benefits, are allowable if all of the following criteria are met: (1) They are provided under established written leave policies; (2) The costs are equitably allocated to all related activities, including Federal awards; and (3) The accounting basis (cash or accrual) selected for costing each type of leave is consistently followed by the grantee/subrecipient or specified grouping of employees. Please note, however, that such charges are subject to regulatory or statutory limits on certain categories of costs (e.g., the 20-percent limit on CDBG planning and administrative costs). B-10 11 Q32: What about the costs of unused and partially utilized space, when space used by grantees/subrecipients in carrying out activities with CDBG funds is no longer used or is no longer used fully as a result of COVID-19? Are costs such as maintenance, repair, rent, and other related costs (e.g., insurance, interest, and depreciation,) allowable? A: Yes, subject to program restrictions and the regulations at 2 CFR 200.446 Idle facilities and idle capacity. While costs for unused space (idle facilities) are usually unallowable, §200.446(b)(2) permits exceptions when the space (facilities) are idle for causes which could not have been reasonably foreseen. Clearly, the COVID-19 situation falls within that exception. Under this exception, “…costs of idle facilities are allowable for a reasonable period of time, ordinarily not to exceed one year, depending on the initiative taken to use, lease, or dispose of such facilities.” Grantees and subrecipients should note, however, that program regulations may prohibit certain costs referenced in the question. For example, 24 CFR 570.207(b)(2)(i) prohibits use of CDBG funds for maintenance and repair of publicly owned facilities and improvements. As to partially utilized space (idle capacity), 2 CFR 200.446(c) provides that: “The costs of idle capacity are normal costs of doing business and are a factor in the normal fluctuations of usage or indirect cost rates from period to period. Such costs are allowable, provided that the capacity is reasonably anticipated to be necessary to carry out the purpose of the Federal award or was originally reasonable and is not subject to reduction or elimination by use on other Federal awards, subletting, renting, or sale, in accordance with sound business, economic, or security practices….” Accordingly, costs of idle capacity are allowable, subject to the provisions in §200.446(c) and to any program regulatory restrictions noted above. Q33: May the grantee continue to fund a subrecipient for an activity that will be canceled or postponed? A. It depends. The recent OMB memo M-20-17 discusses allowability of costs not normally chargeable to awards, stating: “Awarding agencies may allow recipients who incur costs related to the cancellation of events, travel, or other activities necessary and reasonable for the performance of the award, or the pausing and restarting of grant funded activities due to the public health emergency, to charge these costs to their award without regard to 2 CFR § 200.403, Factors affecting allowability of costs, 2 CFR § 200.404, Reasonable costs, and 2 CFR § 200.405, Allocable costs. Awarding agencies may allow recipients to charge full cost of cancellation when the event, travel, or other activities are conducted under the auspices of the grant. Awarding agencies must advise recipients that they should not assume additional funds will be available should the charging of cancellation or other fees result in a shortage of funds to eventually carry out the event or travel. Awarding agencies must B-11 12 require recipients to maintain appropriate records and cost documentation as required by 2 CFR § 200.302 - Financial management and 2 CFR § 200.333 - Retention requirement of records, to substantiate the charging of any cancellation or other fees related to interruption of operations or services. As appropriate, awarding agencies may list additional guidance on specific types of costs on their websites and/or provide a point of contact for an agency program official.” In addition, in the context of subrecipients, CDBG grantees should also consider whether the subrecipient’s staff costs are administrative (see 2 CFR 570.206) or related to carrying out activities eligible under § 570.201 through § 570.204. The activity delivery costs associated with postponed or cancelled activities are limited to those necessary and reasonable to the pausing and restarting of the grant and may include cancellation fees, as explained further in OMB memo M-20-17. For subrecipients with an administrative role, their allowable costs may include fringe benefits, such as authorized leave (see Q31 above for more information); however, planning, administrative and management costs are limited to 20 percent of the grant, pursuant to Annual Appropriations Acts. Grantees may be interested in providing assistance to their partners to retain employees during this crisis; however, HUD strongly recommends that this be done appropriately. Grantees may wish to direct such partners to apply for assistance available to small businesses and nonprofits for the retention of employees, such as programs provided by the Small Business Administration and, possibly, a local CDBG-funded job retention program, if one has been appropriately established. B-12 C- 1 Lauren Ramezani From: Sent: Marianne Propst <peninsulavillagepvp@gmail.com> Monday, January 11, 2021 4:54PM To: Lauren Ramezani Subject: edits to your report Hi Lauren Here are a couple of edits ... Hope this helps ... Unfortunately, the PVP Village, after much deliberation, had to decline the grant opportunity. This was mainly due to the grant's short timeline and the lead time needed to adequately educate new members to the Village and fully integrate them into the programs and volunteer services. See decline email from PVP Village. Marianne Propst Executive Director Palos Verdes Peninsula Village 916 Silver Spur Road # 302 Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 310-991-3324 www.peninsulavillage.net "Like" us on Facebook! 1 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES) The undersigned, being first duly sworn, deposes, and says: That at all times herein mentioned, Teresa Takaoka was and now is the Deputy City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes; That on January 13, 2021 she caused to be posted the following document entitled: City of Rancho Palos Verdes, Public Notice, for Public Meeting to be Held on January 11, 2021 Regarding the Community Development Block Grant- CARES ACT (CDBG-CV) Project and Budget, a copy of which is attached hereto, at the following locations: City of Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall/Civic Center 30940 Hawthorne Blvd. Rancho Palos Verdes Ladera Linda Community Center 32201 Forrestal Drive Rancho Palos Verdes Hesse Park Community Center 29301 Hawthorne Blvd. Rancho Palos Verdes I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is a true and correct affidavit of posting. Lauren Ramezani ____________________________ Staff Person- Name D-1 CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES PUBLIC NOTICE HYBRID (IN-PERSON/VIRTUAL) CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 19, 2021 TO CONSIDER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT CARES ACT (CDBG-CV) PROJECT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes will conduct a public meeting to receive input from the public on a project to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for funding through the Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) Program. The project, which will be considered by the City Council at its January 19, 2021 meeting, has been determined to be eligible under the federal guidelines and, if approved by the City Council, will be considered by the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) for the City's CDBG-CV Program. All interested parties are encouraged to attend. Persons attending the meeting shall be furnished with the following information: (1) The amount of CDBG-CV funds expected to be available to the City for the current fiscal year; and (2) The range of housing and community development activities that may be undertaken with CDBG-CV funds. SAID PUBLIC MEETING HELD ON JANUARY 19, 2021 at 7:00 PM WILL BE A HYBRID (IN-PERSON/VIRTUAL) CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH LIMITED SEATING - PLEASE SEE UPDATED PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OPTIONS Pursuant to Section 3 of Executive Order N-29-20, issued by Governor Newsom on March 17, 2020, the meeting of the City Council for Tuesday, January 19, 2021, will be conducted through a hybrid combination of in-person attendance with not less than three members of the City Council, invited staff, and limited members of the public at Hesse Park, McTaggart Hall, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard and via teleconference using the Zoom platform and broadcast live on the City's website at http://www.rpvca.gov/agendas and on RPVTV Channels Cox 35 and Frontier Fios39. The public is invited to attend or via teleconference or in writing provide testimony at the public meeting or participate via the options available. CDBG-CV Project Title: Senior Activities Programs CDBG-CV Project Description: This project will consist of Senior Activities Programs including funding Meals on Wheels and Peninsula Seniors programs. CDBG-CV funds will be used to provide free meals on wheels to eligible RPV residents and to partially fund Peninsula Seniors programs utilized by RPV seniors CDBG-CV Project Budget: $86,499 D-2 the commencement of that item. Otherwise, it will be included as late correspondence the following day. a. Email: Comments will be accepted via email to cc@rpvca.gov during the meeting, prior to the close of the public comment portion on an item or during public comments for non-agenda items, and read aloud into the record with a maximum allowance of three minutes per individual comment, subject to the Mayor’s discretion. b. Voicemail: You may leave a comment at (310) 544-5217 using the City’s voicemail system prior to the close of the public comment portion on an item or during public comments for non-agenda items, and your message will be heard by the City Council with a maximum allowance of three minutes per individual comment, subject to the Mayor’s discret ion. 3. In person at Hesse Park: Members of the public wishing to speak in person may be requested to sign in or complete a speaker’s card, available during the meeting, and provide the same to the City Clerk. The City Council may limit the number of individuals in the meeting room at any one time pursuant to guidance from public health officials. Each member of the public must also wear a face covering of the nose and mouth at all times during the course of the meeting unless and until invited to speak at the podium. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you require a disability-related modification or accommodation to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at least 48 hours prior to the meeting at cityclerk@rpvca.gov or 310-544-5217. Staff will use its best efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also maintaining public safety. Please note that visiting the public counter requires an appointment ands wearing a face covering, or you will have to socially distance outside. D-3 HYBRID (IN-PERSON/VIRTUAL) CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021 CITY COUNCIL MEETING THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITED SEATING Pursuant to Section 3 of Executive Order N-29-20, issued by Governor Newsom on March 17, 2020, the regular meeting of the City Council for Wednesday, November 4, 2020, will be conducted through a hybrid combination of in-person attendance with not less than three members of the City Council, invited staff, and limited members of the public at Hesse Park, McTaggart Hall, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard and via teleconference using the Zoom platform and broadcast live on the City's website at rpvca.gov/agendas and on PVPtv channels Cox 35 and Frontier FiOS 39. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency and public access, those members of the public wishing to participate in City Council meetings are encouraged to do so in one of the following ways: 1. Virtual Platform (Zoom): If you wish to speak during the meeting, please fill out the online request form at rpvca.gov/participate by 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Upon successful submission, you will receive an email with further instructions on how to connect to the meeting. 2. Comments on non-agenda and specific agenda item(s): If you simply wish to make a comment, please submit via email to cc@rpvca.gov or by mail to 30940 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. Comments received by 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, will be forwarded to the City Council prior to the meeting for consideration. Otherwise, they will be included as late correspondence the following day. Comments on non-agenda and specific agenda item(s) during the live meeting: If you are watching the meeting live and wish to make a comment on an agenda item as it is being heard, you may submit your brief comment using the methods below. Your comment will be read or heard during the meeting, if received in real time and prior to D-4 the commencement of that item. Otherwise, it will be included as late correspondence the following day. a. Email: Comments will be accepted via email to cc@rpvca.gov during the meeting, prior to the close of the public comment portion on an item or during public comments for non-agenda items, and read aloud into the record with a maximum allowance of three minutes per individual comment, subject to the Mayor’s discretion. b. Voicemail: You may leave a comment at (310) 544-5217 using the City’s voicemail system prior to the close of the public comment portion on an item or during public comments for non-agenda items, and your message will be heard by the City Council with a maximum allowance of three minutes per individual comment, subject to the Mayor’s discretion. 3. In person at Hesse Park: Members of the public wishing to speak in person may be requested to sign in or complete a speaker’s card, available during the meeting, and provide the same to the City Clerk. The City Council may limit the number of individuals in the meeting room at any one time pursuant to guidance from public health officials. Each member of the public must also wear a face covering of the nose and mouth at all times during the course of the meeting unless and until invited to speak at the podium. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you require a disability-related modification or accommodation to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at least 48 hours prior to the meeting at cityclerk@rpvca.gov or 310-544-5217. Staff will use its best efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also maintaining public safety. Please note that visiting the public counter requires an appointment ands wearing a face covering, or you will have to socially distance outside. D-5