Alachua County Community Development Block Grant Application for Funding 1 st Public Hearing June 28, 2011

Purpose Two public hearings are required for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application. This first public hearing will allow citizens’ and commissioners’ input, outline CDBG grant categories, and provide a staff recommendation on a CDBG grant category. The second public hearing, in September, will allow for public comments before the CDBG grant application is submitted.

Background The CDBG Program is: A federal grant program that, through the State of Florida, Alachua County is eligible to apply for; A primary source of funding for housing and community development; Used for a variety of community development activities such as residential and nonresidential property rehabilitation, homeownership assistance, and economic development.

CDBG Objectives National objectives: Undertake activities that principally benefit low and moderate income persons; Prevent or eliminate slum or blight; Address urgent needs of recent origin for which there is no other funding.

Small Cities CDBG Program Florida’s Small Cities CDBG Program: Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Administered by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA); Available to cities with less than 50,000 residents and counties with less than 200,000 residents.

Grant Categories There are four primary categories under which Alachua County may apply for funding: Housing Rehabilitation; Neighborhood Revitalization; Commercial Revitalization; Economic Development.

Housing Rehabilitation Objective is to improve housing conditions and expand housing opportunities for very low, low, and moderate income persons by: Rehabilitation of substandard houses; Demolition of dilapidated housing; Relocation to replacement housing; Installation of wells/septic tanks (where potable water or sewer service is not available); Mitigation of future natural disaster hazards.

Neighborhood Revitalization Objective is to revitalize declining neighborhoods and improve infrastructure by addressing problems that influence neighborhood vitality by: Construction or improvement of infrastructure (roads, drainage, and water/sewer facilities); Construction/rehabilitation of neighborhood facilities that provide community services; Construction/rehabilitation of facilities for persons with disabilities and removal of architectural barriers; Mitigation of natural disaster hazards.

Commercial Revitalization Objective is to revitalize commercial areas that are showing signs of decline by: Repair/rehabilitation of building facades; Construction/reconstruction of streets, utilities, public spaces, parking facilities, etc.; Acquisitions of substandard or blighted properties to carry out a redevelopment plan.

Economic Development Objectives are to provide long-term jobs, promote private capital investment, and expand local tax bases by: Providing job training and placement; Expanding infrastructure to attract or retain businesses; Acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of commercial/industrial buildings and structures; Purchase of capitalized machinery and equipment.

Previous CDBG Funded Projects Alachua County has successfully applied for funding and implemented projects under the Housing Rehabilitation category.

Grant Application The state does not target Small Cities CDBG funding to particular areas. The application process favors local governments that have undertaken fair housing and equal opportunity activities. Grants are awarded based on competitively-scored applications.

Grant Ceiling The LMI population determines the amount of money that can be received. Alachua County is eligible to apply for $750,000 in funding.

Application Process Select a grant category that meets community needs after hearing citizens’ and commissioners comments during 1 st public hearing; Create grant application; Finalize and submit application after public review and comment during 2 nd public hearing;

Recommendation Identifying projects for Neighborhood or Commercial Revitalization or Economic Development Categories requires long-term planning, thorough data collection, and availability of time and resources; The County has had success and has experience in applying for and implementing Housing Rehabilitation grants; There is a need for projects within the Housing Rehabilitation category in the community; Staff recommends that the County apply for a CDBG grant to fund Housing Rehabilitation projects.

Next Steps Staff will prepare grant application as directed; A 2 nd public hearing for citizens’ and commissioners’ review and comment will be held August 9, 2011; County will submit grant application to DCA before the August 15, 2011deadline.