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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.1 Senior Fee Assistance Program ITEM NO: 8.1 Page 1 of 3 STAFF REPORT PARKS & COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION DATE: December 19, 2016 TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners FROM: Rich Jochner, Recreation Supervisor SUBJECT: Senior Fee Assistance Program EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Commission will receive a report on a proposal for a Senior Fee Assistance Program. This program will provide financial assistance to Dublin seniors in financially disadvantaged households to help facilitate increased participation in City-sponsored senior recreation programs. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. RECOMMENDATION: Receive the Report, provide feedback, and recommend City Council approval of the program. DESCRIPTION: The Senior Fee Assistance Program would provide financial assistance to disadvantaged seniors in the same manner that the City provides assistance to youth with the Youth Fee Assistance Program. Following is background information and a summary of the program proposed by Staff. BACKGROUND: Staff has researched similar programs offered in other communities to determine best practices and estimate the revenue needed to sustain the program. Staff used this research and modeled the program based on the City’s current Youth Fee Assistance Program. Following are the proposed program guidelines. 1. Fee assistance would only be provided to Dublin residents ages 50 and older. 2. Fee assistance would be funded from outside sources. 3. The program would be applicable for all Department programs for seniors. 4. Fee assistance would be granted for up to 50% of the registration fee. 5. Funding requests would be limited to $200 per person per Fiscal Year. The $200 must be used within the Fiscal Year. Participants would not be able to rollover unused funds from year to year or transfer unused funds to other members of the household. Page 2 of 3 6. Applicants must meet the HUD income guidelines for lower, very low, or extremely low income. 7. Applicants must complete application forms provided by the City. 8. To ensure applicant privacy, applications for fee assistance would be reviewed and approved by the Recreation Supervisor at the Dublin Senior Center. 9. The program would be evaluated annually to ensure it meets the needs of the community and is funded adequately. Proposed Eligibility Requirements and Fee Assistance Limits Staff proposes using the HUD income limits for Alameda County for lower income households and below to determine eligibility, which are as follows: Number of Persons in Household 2016 Annual Household Income 1 2 3 4 5 HUD Extremely Low $19,350 22,100 24,850 27,600 29,850 HUD Very Low Income $32,200 36,800 41,400 46,000 49,700 HUD Lower Income $47,350 54,100 60,850 67,600 73,050 HUD Median Income $61,950 70,800 79,650 88,500 95,600 HUD Moderate Income $77,280 88,320 99,360 110,400 119,280 Shaded area indicates categories proposed for fee assistance eligibility. Amounts for households higher than 5 members are also available but not listed in the above graph. Funding Sources Until the actual level of demand for fee assistance is known, Staff recommends focusing on securing donations for the program. Once the first $2,000 of funding is raised, the Senior Fee Assistance program may begin accepting applications. In order to secure the first $2,000, Staff intends to solicit donations from charitable groups and individuals. This will include local non-profit organizations, service clubs, businesses, and foundations. Additionally, if the City generates any net proceeds from the annual Benefit Concert this will be split equally into the Senior Fee Assistance fund and Youth Fee Assistance fund. The Benefit Concert is an inter-generational event held annually during the spring season. Distribution of Funds • Funding limit is $200 per senior, per year, up to a 50% subsidy of the registration fee. For example, if the program/class has a registration fee of $30, the applicant will be responsible for a payment of $15 (the Fee Assistance Program will pay the remaining $15). • Fee Assistance Program funds cannot be credited or refunded to the applicant. • The applicant has one year from the date of approval to spend the allotted $200. Scholarship funds cannot be carried over from year to year. • Fee Assistance funds cannot be transferred between seniors. For example, if one senior did not spend any of their allotted funds, their allotted funds cannot be given to another eligible applicant. • Funds can only be used for senior activities/programs/classes offered by the City’s Parks and Community Services Department. Funds cannot be used for rental of City facilities or picnic areas. Implementation The implementation plan was developed in a customer-focused manner to ensure privacy, flexibility, and minimize the number of hurdles while ensuring accountability. On an annual basis those seeking fee assistance would be asked to complete a one-page eligibility form that would be kept on file for the year with the Recreation Supervisor for senior programming. The eligibility form would require participant contact information, the names of those residing in the household, annual household income, sources of income, and proof of income such as the most recent income tax return. Page 3 of 3 Once approved, participants would contact the Recreation Supervisor directly to register for programs at the discounted rate, until the $200 cap per year is reached. Participants would need to re-apply each year to confirm continued eligibility for the program. The Senior Fee Assistance program would be advertised on the City Website, in the Activity Guide, and on the registration receipts and registration confirmations that customers receive. Information would also be made available through the Human Services and Housing Divisions to try and reach seniors who could potentially benefit from the Fee Assistance program. The Senior Center Advisory Committee reviewed the proposed Senior Fee Assistance program at their September 1, 2016 meeting and voted unanimously to support the program. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: None. ATTACHMENTS: None.