[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
This Chapter shall be known as the "Community Development Department Grant Program" and may be cited as such and may be referred to in this Chapter as the "code."
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
This Chapter is established to serve as a "matching grant program" for awarding small matching grants for property improvement projects on a specific basis and for specific improvement types, to specific applicants, all pursuant to the final program guidelines and parameters in this Chapter. A grant under this Chapter will be awarded as a reimbursement for construction costs for exterior improves described herein.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
The Grant Program Board is hereby established to consist of the following members: the Director of Community Development, the Building Official, and the Codes Enforcement Officer. Additionally, two (2) Aldermen shall serve on the Grant Program Board in the sole determination of the Mayor. The Mayor and City Administrator may remove any Grant Program Board member and replace the same with either a member of City staff or a member of the Board of Aldermen, in accordance with the removed member's affiliation. A minimum of three (3) members of the Grant Program Board must be present to constitute a quorum. A simple majority of votes in favor of the application will deem the application approved. Failure to obtain a simple majority of votes will deem the application denied.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
Applications under this Chapter will be accepted from January 1 until September 31 for every year the Community Development Department Grant Program is funded, beginning on January 1, 2023. Applications for participation in the Community Development Department Grant Program are available at City Hall and on the City's website. There shall be separate applications for residential and commercial applicants. Contractor, material, and/or scope of work estimates must be submitted with an application. All grant applicants must certify the accuracy and truth of all documents submitted to the City. Anyone making false or misleading statements or submitting false or misleading documents may be subject to legal action.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
A. 
The Grant Program Board shall consider the following factors in determining approval or denial of an application:
1. 
The property's location in the City;
2. 
The feasibility of completion of the improvements;
3. 
The age and condition of the property;
4. 
The overall benefit to the neighborhood and City as a whole.
B. 
The following factors may be taken into consideration by the Grant Program Board:
1. 
If the applicant is sixty-five (65) years of age and older;
2. 
Disabled or blind applicants;
3. 
First time home buyer applicants;
4. 
Households at or below the Federal poverty level for that year;
5. 
Active and retired military applicants;
6. 
Single parent households;
7. 
If the applicant qualifies for Head of Household Federal tax status.
C. 
To be considered for a grant, the Cass County Assessor's appraised full market value of the primary building, not including land, cannot exceed one hundred forty thousand dollars ($140,000.00). Only one (1) grant per property every five (5) years is allowed, unless waived by a majority vote of the Grant Program Board.
D. 
For a commercial property owner to be eligible for Community Development Department Grant Program funds, the owner must live in the 64701 zip code. The improvement must be in conformance with the City of Harrisonville Municipal Code and other applicable building codes.
E. 
Any code enforcement violations must be corrected within ninety (90) working days of notification of the violation, or a grant under this Chapter will be forfeited unless successfully appealed to the Codes Enforcement Officer or the Building Official.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
A grant under this Chapter shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the total project cost, up to a maximum grant amount of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00).
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
There is a strong preference for Community Development Department Grant Program funds to be used to benefit owner-occupied residential properties. Therefore, seventy-five percent (75%) of the Community Development Department Grant Program funds shall be available for residential properties, with the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) available to commercial properties.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
A. 
Eligible residential improvements, include, but are not limited to:
1. 
Exterior painting/siding improvements;
2. 
Exterior door/window repair or replacement;
3. 
Roofing;
4. 
Gutters;
5. 
Shutters;
6. 
Front-facing concrete work;
7. 
Masonry;
8. 
Foundation repairs;
9. 
Awnings;
10. 
Building additions;
11. 
Trash container screening.
B. 
Eligible commercial improvements include:
1. 
Trash container/dumpster screening;
2. 
Removal of non-conforming signage and sign structures.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
After grant approval, grantees must complete the project within one hundred eighty (180) days of the grant approval, and the project must show progress within sixty (60) days of grant approval, or the grant may be forfeited. If the project requires a building permit or any other permit, the applicant may seek waiver of said permitting fees. Upon completion of the project, applicant must submit qualified project invoices and proof of payment in the form of cancelled checks and/or credit card receipts to the Community Development Department. All grantees must certify the truth and accuracy of all documents submitted to the City. Community Development Department staff will schedule a post-project inspection to verify project completion and confirm no exterior code violations are present. Upon the submission and inspection described herein, the City will issue a check to the applicant in the appropriate amount within the normal accounts payable schedule.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
A. 
The Community Development Department Grant Program shall be funded each year from the following sources:
1. 
The Building Division permit revenue surplus;
2. 
The Code Enforcement abatement recoup revenue surplus;
3. 
The Building Division expenses savings;
4. 
The City budget.
B. 
Exact funding will be determined yearly by the Board of Aldermen.
[Ord. No. 3597, 8-15-2022]
If the Grant Program Board denies an application, the applicant may, within thirty (30) days of the denial file with the City Clerk a written appeal to the City Administrator, or their designee, specifying the grounds thereof. In acting on the appeal, the City Administrator, or their designee, may overturn the Grant Program Board's decision.