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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-16-2009 - 4eeORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 16, 2009 Action Agenda Item No. ~ - 2 E SUBJECT: Orange County Community Development (CDBG) Pro ram -ARRA DEPARTMENT: Housing/Comm. Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara L. Fikes, 245-2490 PURPOSE: To confirm the submission of an application for Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program funds to the N.C. Department of Commerce from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) in the amount of $500,000. BACKGROUND: On June 1, 2009 the N.C. Department of Commerce -Division of Community Assistance announced the availability of community development funds received by the State of North Carolina under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The State received $12,080,614 under this act and developed a competitive process to distribute these funds to small cities and counties in the State. A small window of opportunity was provided since applications were due two weeks later on Friday, June 12, 2009. Eligible projects include the following: 1. Infrastructure -including water, sewer, streets, curb and gutter, drainage, and sidewalks; 2. Housing -including rehabilitation, acquisition, clearance, relocation, substantial rehab, replacement housing and emergency repairs; and 3. Special Projects -including homeless shelters, transitional housing facilities, senior centers, community/neighborhood/recreational centers, and foreclosure prevention activities. County staff discussed potential application ideas during a regularly scheduled HOME Program Review Committee meeting on June 5th and the Committee endorsed the submission of an application for Housing funds to engage in housing rehabilitation, replacement housing, and emergency repair activities. The Committee also agreed to utilize the recent applicants for the County's housing rehabilitation program that are unable to be served by existing programs. The total number of low-income applicants is 20. At the direction of the County Manager, county staff subsequently. proceeded to develop an application for this purpose for submission by the deadline date. The maximum amount of the request was $500,000 and required the signature of the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners as the chief elected official. FINANCIAL IMPACT: A successful application will provide an additional $500,000 for the community for housing purposes. Additionally, activities proposed in an application must be completed by the expenditure deadline of September 30, 2012. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board confirm the submission of an the application for Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program funds to the N.C. Department of Commerce from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) in the amount of $500,000 and ratify the Chair's signature on the application.