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CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL, REJECTION, AMENDMENT, AND/OR POSTPONEMENT OF THE PROPOSED SECOND YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR THE FORTY-SIXTH YEAR NORMAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) APPLICATION WHICH INCLUDES THE 2021 HOME PROGRAM TOTALING $1,358,303 TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD).
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BACKGROUND: On April 28, 2020, the Norman City Council approved the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan which is a comprehensive planning approach to identify and address the needs of low-to-moderate income residents of Norman. The Consolidated Plan provides a basis and strategy for the use of federal funds granted to the City of Norman by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnership (HOME) programs. While the Consolidated Plan serves as a planning document meeting the federal government statutory requirements in 24CFR 91.200-91.230, the Annual Action Plan is the mechanism where the programs and projects are authorized and funded. This Annual Action Plan covers the period beginning July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 (2020 Federal Budget). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines the City of Norman as an entitlement community due to its population and demographics. As an entitlement community, the City of Norman receives an annual formula allocation of CDBG and HOME funding dependent upon funding in the Federal Budget. Programs and activities described in this plan are intended to primarily benefit low and moderate-income residents of the City of Norman, neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income and moderate-income residents, and the city as a whole.
This plan is the product of public outreach, public hearings, and consultation with multiple agencies that serve the needs of low and moderate-income residents of Norman and agencies that serve the needs of special populations. The Second Year Action Plan for the 47th Year CDBG Program ($927,206) and the 2021 HOME Program ($431,097) includes the proposed use of funds with references to the Five-Year Consolidated Plan Objectives and expected performance outcomes, and totals $1,358,303.
A complete draft of this document was made available for public review beginning April 14, 2021.
DISCUSSION: The Second Year Action Plan is based upon research which utilized existing documents, and the recommendations of the Community Development Policy Committee as a result of a formal citizen participation process. This process included multiple interactions with interested parties and also opportunities for citizen participation from the general public. This year these interactions were conducted virtually and included neighborhood meetings for the seven target neighborhoods where specific neighborhood needs were identified as well as overall community development activities; multiple individual and focus group meetings where specific information regarding public services, public facilities, housing, homelessness, and economic development/anti-poverty were discussed; in November 2020, the annual Community Dialogue on housing and community development needs was held where issues that affect low and moderate income citizens were discussed in addition to the election of Policy Committee Representatives. The CDBG Policy Committee met six times and included an extensive review of the previous Action Plan’s and the current Consolidated Plan’s Goals and Objectives and discussed the information that was assembled from the Community Dialogue, neighborhood meetings and focus groups. Utilizing the information that was compiled from this extensive citizen participation process, the CDBG Policy Committee unanimously approved the Second Year Action Plan on April 7, 2021.
The proposed CDBG and HOME projects include housing rehabilitation and related housing projects at $423,408 and funding of public services at $120,322. The housing related projects include housing rehabilitation, Tenant Based Rental Assistance, and assistance for Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) activities to develop affordable housing. This grant proposal is in compliance with the statutory caps for Administration and Public Services. All projects are listed in the attached 2021-2022 Second Year Action Plan.
A thirty-day comment period on the proposed Action Plan ends on May 14, 2021. After approval by the Norman City Council, the Second Year (2021-2022) Action Plan will be forwarded to HUD for review.
Funds for CDBG and HOME projects have been included in the FYE 2022 City of Norman annual budget.
RECOMMENDATION: Approval of the Second Year Action Plan which includes the 46th Year Community Development Block Grant Program and the 2021 HOME Program are recommended as proposed.