The city is continuing to solicit public comments on how the city should spend its annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds.

Tom Micuda, deputy city planning director, discussed the survey and CDBG allocation process.

City conducting survey on CDBG funding priorities

Micuda said that last year, the city established funding priorities based on the survey feedback with the bulk going toward public facilities with a focus on ADA accessibility; rental housing projects; and some to nonprofits for new or expanding programs and services.

Water park bath house renovation opens for bids next week

“Community input really matters here because last year it drove the process,” Micuda said.

Based on survey feedback, staff will propose funding priorities for the next CDBG funding cycle but the City Commission makes the final decision on the priority categories. After that, applications for funding come to city staff and the determinations are made internally, removing commissioners from that process. Once the decision has been made, commissioners must approve the contracts that actually allocate the funding to the recipient.

Trail upgrades planned in West Bank Park

It’s a new process that resulted from conflict of interest issues in the 2017 CDBG funding cycle that resulted in investigations by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and caused several local groups to lose their CDBG funding.

So far during the current cycle, CDBG funds have been approved for:

• Grace Home roof replacement – $36,845
• Electric City Water Park Bathhouse – design phase – $28,415
• Electric City Water Park Bathhouse –  construction – $282,233.50. The actual funding contract for this allocation must be approved by the City Commission, which should be during their Feb. 19 meeting.

Wood shop near completion at Grace Home, creates opportunity for homeless veterans

Results from the survey will be published on the city’s website and will be used to establish funding priorities and goals to be included in the City’s Annual Action Plan, which outlines the allocation of CDBG funds for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2019/2020.

City making another adjustment to CDBG process for appeals

Paper copies of the survey are available at the Planning and Community Development office located in Room 112 of the Civic Center. This year’s survey can also be completed online via https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M8XMHR7. The survey will close Feb. 18.

City continuing tweaks to CDBG process to avoid conflicts of interest

The City’s CDBG program is operated by the Planning and Community Development Department and is designed to meet low-income housing and community development needs.  CDBG funding is provided annually through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the amount of funds received by the City is determined by a formula set by the federal government. The City Commission prioritizes the allocation of CDBG funds annually based on community need.