Matt Huffman, executive director of the Richland County Regional Planning Commission, led the first public hearing on Tuesday, April 23 regarding the county’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The program works to ensure affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable, and to create jobs.
He noted that this year’s funding amounts to $161,000, which is down from last year’s $169,000, and significantly lower from 2012’s funding of about $225,000.
CDBG funds must benefit low and moderate income persons, Huffman said. He added that each activity must meet one of the following national objectives for the program: benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or address community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available.
One may also be eligible to apply, he said, if he or she is identified as one of the following limited clientele groups: abused children, battered spouses, elderly persons, adults meeting the Bureau of Census’ Current Population Report’s definition of “severely disabled,” homeless persons, illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, migrant farm workers, or programs which have eligibility requirements which limit the benefits of an activity to LMI persons.
An applicant workshop was scheduled for April 29 in the Richland County Regional Planning Commission offices to assist interested applicants with project development and help answer any questions they may have.
Applications must be submitted by May 13 to the Richland County Regional Planning Commission, located at 35 N Park Street, Mansfield.
A second public hearing will be held May 27 at 10 a.m., during which the county commissioners will determine how much funding will be allocated to which projects.
In years past, CDBG funding was granted to Dayspring Assisted Living and Care Facility to help make improvements to the drainage system and to the Bellville Neighborhood Outreach Center to help with the construction of an elevator, Huffman said.
Richland County CDBG funds must be used in the county, Huffman said, unless the applicant can show that his or her clientele is more than 51 percent outside of the Mansfield area.
“There were some projects within the city that have been funded because their services extended outside the city,” Huffman said. He pointed to The New Store as an example of an entity that received county CDBG funding, even though it is located within Mansfield.
As stated on the website, the CDBG program works to ensure decent affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable in communities, and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of businesses. For more information, visit the website.
