2014 OCD Community Development Conference

Wednesday, November 19, 2014-
Friday, November 21, 2014

Driving Directions -- for a detailed map, visit: http://www.sawmillcreekresort.com/map.asp

Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Morning Sessions

Plenary Session – Welcome and Ohio Development Services Agency Updates
9:00 – 9:45 a.m.

Officials from the host community, the City of Huron and the Lake Erie Region, will welcome attendees to the conference.  Ohio Development Services Agency leadership will provide an overview of the Agency, Community Services Division, and Office of Community Development.

Target Audience: Conference Attendees

Economic Development and Revolving Loan Funds
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Throughout the state, local communities use the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Economic Development and Revolving Loan Fund Programs to help businesses provide job opportunities for low- to-moderate-income (LMI) individuals. The programs are capable of providing assistance in two ways: 1) low-interest, fixed-asset, gap financing to Ohio businesses or 2) grants to communities for public infrastructure improvements associated with for-profit job creation or retention. In this session, staff will review both programs and provide training on how to successfully apply for and administer CDBG Economic Development and Revolving Loan Fund Programs.

Target Audience: CDBG Program administrators with less than one year of experience with economic development or revolving loan funds and Revolving Loan Fund administrators

Competitive Set-Asides
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

During the first half of the session, staff from the Office of Community Development will present information on the three Community Development Program Competitive Set- Asides: Critical Infrastructure, Neighborhood Revitalization, and Downtown Revitalization. Participants will receive guidance on choosing a target area, community participation, qualifying projects, and leveraging funds. A panel of Program Year 2013 grant recipients will share their best practices during the second half of the session.

Target Audience: CDBG Program grant administrators and members of downtown revitalization and redevelopment organizations

What to Expect at an Audit
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Staff from the Office of Community Development and Audit Office will present information on basic audit requirements for administering state and federal grant funds. Topics covered will include the Office of Community Development Financial Management Rules and Regulations and Office of Management and Budget Circulars A-122 and A-87.

Target Audience: Ohio Small Cities CDBG Program administrators and fiscal staff

Introduction to Community Development Block Grant
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Office of Community Development and Ohio Conference of Community Development staff will provide an introduction to the Community Development Block Grant Program. Geared for new practitioners, the session will include an overview of program history, an explanation of national objectives and eligibility requirements, and a discussion on project selection and citizen participation requirements.

Target Audience: Community Development Block Grant practitioners with less than two years of experience

Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Afternoon Sessions

Fair Housing Fundamentals: The State of Ohio Standard Fair Housing Program
1:45 – 4:30 p.m.

The Office of Community Development’s required Standard Fair Housing Program helps grantees establish a framework of technical assistance, education, and support to address local fair housing needs. Built around a core of training and outreach, the Standard Fair Housing Program can be a powerful tool for identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices. This session will provide historical and regulatory context for Fair Housing in Ohio and will explore the various components of the Standard Fair Housing Program. Participants will learn how to design and adapt Fair Housing training presentations and materials that are meaningful to their local target audience. Participants will also learn techniques for providing appropriate technical assistance to citizens with fair housing questions, complaints, or concerns.

Target Audience: CDBG Program grant administrators

Income Survey and American Community Survey
1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

During the first half of this session, Office of Community Development staff will discuss the low- and-moderate- income (LMI) national objective and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) data that Office of Community Development staff will use to qualify projects for Program Year 2015. During the second half of this session, staff will discuss the appropriate use of ACS data and the proper method for conducting household income surveys
to qualify projects under the LMI area-wide benefit national objective.

Target Audience: CDBG Program grant administrators

SFY 2015 Community Development Implementation Strategy
3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

Staff from the Office of Community Development will introduce the Community Development Implementation Strategy (CDIS), which will replace the Community Assessment Survey (CAS) and the Community Housing Implementation Strategy (CHIS) in Program Year 2015.  This plan, updated biennially, will provide a way for local communities to coordinate and prioritize investments through citizen participation. Additionally, it will provide the Office with a standard by which to identify community needs and desires statewide. Future applications will be scored within the context of a community’s CDIS targets.

Target Audience: CDBG Program grant administrators

Thursday, November 20, 2014
Morning Sessions

Financial Basics
8:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Specifically designed for new program managers, this session will help grant administrators understand the Office of Community Development’s financial and outcome data reporting requirements. During the session, presenters will discuss the Request for Payment and Status of Funds form (DS5), Status Reports, Final Performance reports, Housing Activity and Beneficiary form, Tenant-Based Rental Assistance form, Job Certification form, and Certificate of Completion.  This interactive, informal session will enable participants to ask questions and discuss the forms and requirements.

Target Audience: New grant administrators

State Resources for Community and Economic Development Professionals
8:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Staff from the Office of Community Development, Office of Community Assistance, and Office of Energy and Redevelopment will present program resources available for community and economic development projects. Heritage Ohio, Ohio’s official historic preservation and Main Street organization, will also present information on the Main Street program and services available to local communities.

Target Audience: Community and economic development professionals, members of downtown revitalization, redevelopment, and historic preservation organizations

Community Development Block Grant Workshop / Lab
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Complying with state and federal regulations can be challenging. In this interactive session, Office of Community Development staff will cover some of the more difficult grant compliance areas. Brief teaching sessions will be combined with interactive discussion, giving participants an opportunity to apply their CDBG knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Target Audience: Grant administrators with at least two years of CDBG experience

Advanced Financial Workshop
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Designed for experienced program managers, this interactive session will allow grant managers to learn from their peers. Office of Community Development staff will provide participants with a financial scenario and complete source documentation for six months of activity on a hypothetical CDBG grant.  Participants will work in teams to create and propose strategies for completing one or more Request for Payment and Status  of Funds forms (DS5) and Status Reports. Participants will also identify and share fiscal best practices with the group.

Target Audience: Grant administrators with at least two years of CDBG experience

Historic Preservation Compliance Requirements for Community Development Projects
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Nearly all HUD-funded community development projects require some level of historic preservation coordination and compliance. In this session, Ohio Historic Preservation Office staff will outline the “Section 106” review process, and offer tips and strategies for facilitating coordination. Session participants will learn how to effectively use their community’s Programmatic Agreement for Coordination and will see how community development activities can affect architectural and archaeological properties. Participants will also delve into the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and explore common ways to avoid adverse effects on historic architecture and archaeological resources.

Target Audience: Redevelopment and historic preservation organizations, CDBG grant administrators

Thursday, November 20, 2014
Afternoon Sessions

Keynote Panel Discussion
1:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Representatives from the Ohio Development Services Agency and local community development practitioners will be joined by the keynote luncheon speaker for a more in-depth discussion about community development and its role in workforce recruitment. Agency staff will explore challenges in community and economic development in rural Ohio and local community development practitioners will provide examples from their communities. This session is designed to be interactive and include audience participation.

Target Audience: Elected officials and community and economic development professionals

Environmental Review: Spotlight on the Common and Complex
1:45 – 4:30 p.m.

Grantees must perform environmental review for all projects funded through the CDBG program. This session will provide an overview of the Office of Community Development’s environmental process, required forms, and technical assistance resources. Participants will receive detailed analytical instruction on a subset of common, yet complex, environmental compliance requirements. Specific topics will include the evaluation of manmade hazards, floodplain design issues, soil vapor mitigation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting.

Target Audience: All CDBG Program grant administrators

Ohio’s Healthy Foods Initiative
3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

Not all Ohioans have access to affordable, nutritious food or the information to make healthy decisions about food choices. The Food Trust, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization, has partnered with the Community Development Finance Fund and engaged local stakeholders to raise awareness and grow financial resources to expand healthy food options in Ohio. Representatives from The Food Trust and the Community Development Finance Fund will outline the issue as it pertains to rural Ohio and discuss statewide and local initiatives to increase access to healthy foods.

Target Audience: Community and economic development professionals

Friday, November 21, 2014

Ohio Community and Energy Assistance Network (OCEAN)
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

During this session, Office of Community Development staff will discuss the OCEAN online application system. The
session will explain the processes for submitting applications, revisions, and approvals. Staff will also discuss the process for submitting status and final performance reports and draw requests. Additionally, staff will cover changes and improvements to the OCEAN system planned for Program Year 2015.

Target Audience: All CDBG Program grant administrators

Hotel Accommodations:

Call Sawmill Creek Resort and Conference Center at (800) 729-6455 or (419) 433-3800 to reserve your accommodations. Reservations can also be made by visiting their website at www.sawmillcreekresort.com to access the online reservation link for the Ohio Development Services Agency Community Development Conference. Reservations must be made by October 19, 2014, in order to receive the discounted rate. (Access the Ohio Development Services Agency Community Development Conference website at http://development.ohio.gov/cs/cs_communitydevelopmentconference.htm for online reservation instructions.)

Guest Room Information
Sleeping room rate (single and double occupancy): $85.00
Sales tax (6.75%) $5.75
Resort fee (3%) $3.20
Bed tax (5%) $4.25
Total (per person each night) $98.20

Note: Overnight rooms are limited and the discounted rate expires October 19, 2014. Early registration is advised.

State Tax Exemption Policy: State tax (6.75 percent) can be exempted if the room is paid for with an agency credit card (not an individual name or personal credit card) or with a tax-exempt agency check. A copy of the tax-exempt form must also be presented to the resort.

Room Reservations: Sawmill Creek will hold rooms without a deposit or payment for up to 10 business days. One night’s deposit or full payment, along with any tax-exempt paperwork, must be received within 10 business days of room registration to guarantee your room. Any remaining balance must be paid at check-in. Registrants will have to provide Sawmill Creek with a credit card to cover any incidental room costs.