Title
Amendment to Consolidated Plan, Citizen Participation Plan
Description
This report requests that City Council adopt an amendment to the Citizen Participation Plan.
Report
Summary
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. While the primary purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to describe the strategies and priorities to utilize federal entitlement funds allocated to the City through the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, and Emergency Solutions Grants programs, the purpose of the Citizen Participation Plan is to set forth the policies and procedures for citizens’ involvement in the development and administration of the Consolidated Plan.
The City must update the current Citizen Participation Plan, adopted in 1996 and amended in 2010, to meet the current requirements of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, or AFFH, as described in 24 CFR Part 91.105. 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 of the plan ensure concerned and impacted residents have an opportunity to participate in the process.
The proposed plan has been updated to include outreach requirements for the new Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) report, including providing for and encouraging participation from:
- Low- and moderate-income persons living in an area designated by the City as special targeted areas or revitalization areas where CDBG funds are proposed to be used.
- Residents of predominately low- and moderate-income neighborhoods as defined by the City through the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan.
- Residents of public and assisted housing in consolidated plan developments and review, including any resident advisory boards, resident councils, and resident management corporations.
- Local and regional institutions, Continuums of Care, and other organizations including businesses, developers, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic organizations, and community-based and faith-based organizations.
- Broadband internet service providers, organizations engaged in narrowing the digital divide, agencies whose primary responsibilities include the management of flood-prone areas, public land, or water resources, and emergency management agencies in the development process.
In addition, the plan includes an adjustment to the threshold for CDBG substantial amendments to match all other HUD federal formula grants (from 10 to 20 percent). All amendments must be approved by City Council before they are implemented, and substantial amendments are subject to a 30-day public review and comment period unless otherwise determined by HUD.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was heard at the Sustainability, Housing, Efficiency and Neighborhoods Subcommittee on Jan. 16, 2018 and approval was recommended by a vote of 3-0.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Managers Mario Paniagua and Deanna Jonovich, and the Neighborhood Services, Human Services and Housing departments.