Posted: July 20, 2009

The City of Port St. Lucie posted a Draft of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program-2 (NSP2) application on the Web site on June 25. Persons interested in reviewing the document were able to review the document until July 14.

The city held a public meeting on the draft application on July 13, 2009 during a regularly scheduled Council Meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Building A, 121 S.W. Port St. Lucie Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, FL and approved of the submission.

The city will request $11, 397,000 in NSP2 funds in order to further address the problem of abandoned and foreclosed homes in the City of Port St. Lucie. The application was sent to HUD on July 15, 2009. A copy of the final application may be viewed by clicking here.

A Summary of the proposed program follows:

All benefits of the program must go to households earning less than 120 percent of median income. Also there is a provision that at least 25% of the funds must be expended for very-low income households, those earning less than 50% of the median income.

City of Port St. Lucie Housing Program
2009 Income Limits

Income Range	Members in Household
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Low (50% of median and below)	$20,950	$23,900	$26,900	$29,900	$32,300	$34,700	$37,100	$39,450
Moderate (80% of the median and below)	$33,500	$38,300	$43,050	$47,850	$51,700	$55,500	$59,350	$63,150
Middle(120% of median and below)	$50,280	$57,360	$64,560	$71,760	$77,520	$83,280	$89,040	$94,680

The funds may be used to: (A.) Establish financing mechanisms for purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed homes and residential properties. (B.) Purchase and rehabilitate homes and residential properties that have been abandoned or foreclosed, in order to sell, rent, or redevelop such properties (C.) Establish land banks for homes that have been foreclosed. (D.) Demolish blighted structures. (E.) Redevelop demolished or vacant properties.

All activities will be governed by federal rules and regulations including environmental, historic property compliance, and uniform relocation, as necessary.

TABLE 1 NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM-2 Eligible Use Activities and Estimated Budget
Eligible Use		Activity	Estimated Budget
A. Establish financing mechanisms to assist clients to purchase: (1) 40 foreclosed homes from city after repair; and (2) 50 foreclosed homes from seller/lender. Units: 90		24 CFR 570.206 Set up and provide financing mechanism program of soft-second loans for direct client financial assistance for purchase of foreclosed homes from the city or from seller/lender.	$3,000,000
B. Purchase and rehabilitate homes and residential properties that have been abandoned or foreclosed upon, in order to sell, rent, or redevelop such homes and properties. Units: Purchase 100 City purchase (50) Direct client purchase w/city subsidy (50) Rehab 90 Disposition 100		24 CFR 570.201 (a) Acquisition (b) Disposition (n) Direct home ownership assistance as modified below: 570.202 eligible rehabilitation and preservation activities for homes and other residential properties	$ 4,237,300 200,000 $ 2,700,000 Subtotal: $7,137,300
D. Demolish Blighted Structures Units: 10		24 CFR 570.201(d) Clearance for blighted structures only.	$ 120,000
Program Administration			$1,139,700
Total			$11,397,000

Location Description: The city will carry out all activities, including purchase, repair/rehabilitation and financing of multiple properties on the same street or in the same neighborhood, whenever possible, in an attempt to create a stabilizing effect. Clients receiving direct purchase assistance will also be required to purchase in the targeted areas. The core of the city where the population is most dense and where the data indicate the greatest need will be targeted for assistance. Those census tracts are as follows:

Targeted Census Tracts
15.03	20.02
16.03	20.03
18.01	20.05
18.02	21.04
20.01	21.05

In providing notices to the public, the city follows a Citizen Participation Plan that includes a plan for minimizing displacement of persons resulting from activities funded under the CDBG program and lists plans to assist any persons actually displaced. No activities are contemplated with NSP funding that would cause displacement. The City of Port St. Lucie does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. In accordance with Florida Statues, Sections 166.041(3)(a) and 286.0105, “Interested parties may appear at the meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed”, and “No stenographic record by a certified court reporter will be made of the foregoing meeting. Accordingly, any person who may seek to appeal any decision involving the matters noticed herein will be responsible for making a verbatim record of the testimony and evidence at said meeting upon which any appeal is to be based.” Any special accommodation requests, such as an interpreter, or special seating that may be required by the public should be made of the Port St. Lucie City Clerk’s office before the meeting.

View an organizational chart of the city departments involved in the NSP-2 program.

View a map of proposed target areas in Port St. Lucie for the NSP-2 program.

To request additional information call (772) 871-5284. Para mas informacion en Espanol llame al (772) 344-4337.