Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)

PUBLIC NOTICE 

30-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND PUBLIC HEARING

There will be a Public Hearing for the DRAFT CDBG 2023/2024 Annual Action Plan & a Substantial Amendment to the 2019/2020 Annual Action Plan for the CDBG-CV funds. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 6:00 PM, 29844 Haun Road, Menifee, CA 92586. For detailed notices and documents, please see the links below.

• Public Notice - English
• Public Notice - Spanish
• DRAFT 2023/2024 Annual Action Plan
• Substantial Amendment to the 2019/2020 Annual Action Plan

CDBG

Each year the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides funds to local jurisdictions through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) for local community development, housing activities, and public services. The primary objective of the HUD CDBG Program is the development of viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic opportunities primarily focused on low- and moderate-income person and neighborhoods. HUD regulations governing the CDBG Program and the distribution of CDBG funds to local service providers and capital improvement projects require that each activity meets one of the following three broad national objectives: Benefit people with low and moderate incomes, Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight, or Meet an urgent need (such as earthquake, flood, or hurricane relief).

HUD’s national objectives of the CDBG Program were established to assist local communities with funding activities focused primarily on: Eliminating slums and blight, preventing deterioration of property, providing needed neighborhood community facilities, provisions of supportive services; Preserving and improving the supply for affordable housing through improvement of low- and moderate-income housing; Acquisition, design, construction, and installation of needed public facilities, improvements, and accessibility measures; Creation and retention of jobs for low- and moderate-income persons through the expansion of business opportunities and the provision of financial incentives to businesses. 

As a direct recipient of Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City is required to make strategic choices about how they administer and fund their local programs. The City’s planning, implementation, and evaluation of its use of CDBG funds are guided by the framework established by HUD’s CDBG regulations and are integrated into several plans.

CDBG Funding

Federal regulations require that CDBG funds be used for eligible activities that meet one of 3 national objectives:

• Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight
• Benefit to low and moderate-income persons
• Meet a need having a particular urgency

The City of Menifee uses its annual CDBG allocation to fund projects and activities undertaken by city departments and community-based service providers specifically to address the housing and community development needs of low and moderate-income persons in the City of Menifee. CDBG funding can be used for a variety of activities to meet HUD statutory goals including but not limited to the following items:

1. Decent Housing

• Assisting homeless persons obtain affordable housing
• Assisting persons at risk of becoming homeless
• Retention of affordable housing stock
• Increasing the availability of affordable permanent housing in standard condition to low-income and moderate-income families, particularly to members of disadvantaged minorities without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability
• Increasing the supply of supportive housing which includes structural features and services to enable persons with special needs (including persons with HIV/AIDS) to live in dignity and independence, and that is accessible to job opportunities.

2. A Suitable Living Environment

• Improving the safety and livability of neighborhoods
• Increasing access to quality public and private facilities and services
• Reducing the isolation of income groups within areas through spatial deconcentration of housing opportunities for lower-income persons and the revitalization of deteriorating neighborhoods
• Restoring and preserving properties of special historic, architectural, or aesthetic value
• Conservation of energy resources

3. Expanded Economic Opportunities

• Job creation and retention
• Establishment, stabilization, and expansion of small business (including micro businesses)
• The provision of public services concerned with employment
• The provision of jobs to low-income persons living in areas affected by those programs and activities or jobs resulting from carrying out activities under programs covered by the plan
• Access to capital and credit for development activities that promote long-term economic and social viability of the community
• Empowerment and self-sufficiency for low-income persons to reduce generation poverty in federally assisted housing and public housing

CDBG ELIGIBILITY

The City of Menifee will only consider funding proposals for CDBG eligible activities that serve primarily low and moderate income persons residing in the City of Menifee. Funded activities or facilities must be available to all eligible persons in the general public. Not more than 15% of these funds can be used for public service projects.

Eligible CDBG Activities

Please note this list is not inclusive of all types of activities that may be eligible under the CDBG Program:

• Acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of neighborhood facilities for public use*
• Acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of facilities for persons with special needs* (e.g. homeless persons, battered spouses, frail elderly, disabled adults, abused children, etc.)
• Rehabilitation of housing units for low-moderate-income persons*
• Economic development activities that create full-time jobs for low- and moderate-income persons
• Health care and substance abuse services
• Child care and after-school programs
• Transitional housing and supportive services for the homeless
• Crime prevention activities
• Parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities
• Senior and disabled centers, except 24-hour care facilities
• Removal of architectural barriers, which restrict mobility of persons with disabilities

*Please note that applicants for capital project funding must own the property to be assisted.

Ineligible CDBG Activities

Please note this list is not inclusive of all types of services that may be ineligible under the CDBG Program:

• General government expenses
• Political activities
• Religious activities
• Purchase of construction equipment
• Purchase of equipment*, fixtures, motor vehicles, furnishings, or other personal property that is not an integral structural fixture

*Equipment is defined as nonexpendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more.

CARES Act

On September 11, 2020, HUD announced a third (final) round of supplemental appropriations for the CARES Act Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Round 3 funding under COVID-19. The City of Menifee has been fortunate to receive an additional allocation of $404,459 in CDBG-CV3 funding. A Substantial Amendment to 2020/2021 Annual Action Plan is required. The Substantial Amendment is drafted with the guidance from HUD that has been available, including that the CDBG-CV3 funds allocated under the CARES Act must be used for preparation for, prevention of, and response to COVID-19.