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TO: James E. Chandler <br />County Administrator <br />DIjyIS1pN HEAD CONCURRENCE: <br />Robert M. Keating, AICP <br />Community Development <br />THROUGH: Sasan Rohani, AICP S '/( <br />Chief, Long -Range Planning <br />FROM: Randy Deshazo <br />Economic Deve opment Planner <br />DATE: October 15, 2001 <br />SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF AND FORMAL SELECTION OF <br />COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) <br />APPLICATION CATEGORY AND AUTHORIZATION FOR STAFF <br />TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO HIRE A BLOCK <br />GRANT APPLICATION CONSULTANT <br />It is requested that the information herein presented be given formal consideration by the <br />Board of County Commissioners at its regular meeting of October 23, 2001. <br />INTRODUCTION <br />The next Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application cycle occurs in <br />early 2002. In order to submit a competitive grant application, however, the county must <br />initiate the application process at this time. This involves undertaking several actions, <br />including choosing a CDBG application category and beginning the CDBG consultant <br />selection process. <br />BACKGROUND <br />The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides an opportunity <br />for eligible cities and counties to compete for funds to improve local housing, streets, <br />utilities, and public facilities. These funds are available in several categories: housing <br />rehabilitation, neighborhood revitalization, and commercial revitalization. <br />In 1996, Indian River County was awarded a Neighborhood Revitalization Community <br />Development Block Grant. Funds from that grant were used to provide infrastructure <br />improvements in both the Douglas School Subdivision and the Whitfield Subdivision. <br />Through the grant, 84 single-family homes were connected to the county water system, <br />roads in both subdivisions were paved, and drainage improvements were made in both <br />subdivisions. In total, 151 lots benefited from the road paving and drainage <br />improvements. <br />In 1999 and 2000, the County applied for Community Development Block Grants in the <br />Neighborhood Revitalization category. As proposed, these grants would have funded <br />water line extension and road paving activities in an area of Wabasso adjacent to the <br />1996 CDBG target area. Because of the county's low areawide needs score and the level <br />of competition for neighborhood revitalization grants, the county's 1999 and 2000 <br />CDBG applications were not funded. <br />OCTOBER 23, 2001 <br />-67- <br />