FY26 Proposed Budget

 Completion of the CRANDIC corridor Bus Rapid Transit Feasibility Study. MPOJC commissioned a study to analyze the feasibility of converting the CRANDIC rail right of-way between North Liberty and Iowa City to a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor.  Programming of more than $9.3 million in federal Surface Transportation Block Grant funds for the urbanized area. Upcoming Challenges:  The complexity, lack of flexibility and number of reviews in our development process. In addition to our existing zoning districts, conservation/historic districts, sensitive areas ordinance, and design overlays, we also have the Peninsula Code, Eastside Mixed Use District, and three form based code districts - Riverfront Crossings with eight sub-districts, South District and the new Rohret South Subarea as part of the Southwest District. Our development process can be time consuming and there is difficulty understanding requirements amongst enforcement officials, other departments, and the development community.  Staff capacity throughout the department. In Development Services they have been asked to complete several Council initiatives that are in addition to their existing workload including, but not limited to, climate action initiatives, City-wide Comprehensive and Neighborhood District Planning, significant regulatory changes to support affordable housing, as well as several amendments to the South District Form Based Code to support its first development.  Neighborhood Services is the primary administrator of additional state and federal funding through the CARES Act, HOME-ARP, ARPA and the recent PRO Housing award. Neighborhood Services typically administers over $15 million in annual allocations and entitlements. The division is administering another $22.9 million in special allocations (all with expenditure deadlines), project generated revenue and various reserves with only one additional staff person hired with the receipt of ARPA funds. Administering these funds while spending out current funds in a timely and effective manner, and in substantial compliance with all the federal requirements, will be challenging.  Due to annual losses in the Public Housing Program, the City will initiate the process to convert our Public Housing program to a Housing Choice Voucher platform to increase revenue and sustainably operate the housing as income and rent restricted housing affordable to those households with low incomes. The conversion process is complex and will take a significant investment of time by NDS management and Public Housing staff.

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