Title
Amendment to Consolidated Plan, Citizen Participation Plan
Report
Summary
Request City Council approval to amend the Consolidated Plan's Citizen Participation Plan to include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) abbreviated public participation process to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus national pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires jurisdictions receiving significant HUD entitlement program funds to develop a Consolidated Plan and adopt a Citizen Participation Plan. The primary purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to describe the City's housing and community development priorities and define the strategies that will be utilized in the administration of the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, and Emergency Solutions Grant programs. The purpose of the Citizen Participation Plan is to set forth the policies and procedures for resident involvement in the development and administration of the Consolidated Plan.
The City must amend the current Citizen Participation Plan, adopted in 1996 and amended in 2010 and 2018, to include the requirements of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) as defined by Public Law 116-136. The Citizen Participation Plan outlines the public participation process, which includes public hearings and comment periods, transparency of the planning process and access to the draft plan, instructions to guide the public's submission of comments and standards for the City's response, and procedures for continuity of participation throughout all stages of the plan's development. All of these components ensure residents who are interested in or impacted by the plan have an opportunity to participate in the process.
As part of the CARES Act, HUD approved an abbreviated process to allow flexibility to institute more streamlined requirements to address immediate needs relative to the coronavirus. The HUD abbreviated process includes the following:
- The reduction of the 30-day public comment period and the implementation of a public comment period of no less than 5 days in an effort to expedite the consolidated plan substantial amendment process and allow the City to respond as quickly as possible to the immediate needs in the community.
- The elimination of the in-person public hearings and the implementation of virtual public hearings when 1) national and or local health authorities recommend social distancing and limiting public gatherings for public health reasons; and 2) virtual hearings provide reasonable notification and access for citizens in accordance with Phoenix' certifications, timely responses from local officials to all citizen questions and issues, and public access to all questions and responses.
The proposed plan has been updated to include these streamlined outreach methods relative to the public comment and public hearing requirements in an effort to allow the City of Phoenix to utilize CARES Act, and prior HUD funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus national pandemic, as well as any future disaster or state of emergency for which HUD allows an abbreviated process, if needed.
All amendments to the Citizen Participation Plan must be approved by City Council before they are implemented.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Deanna Jonovich and Deputy City Manger Mario Paniagua, and the Neighborhood Services, Human Services and Housing departments.