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Revitalization category. Consequently, a county CDBG application in the Housing <br />category would have a higher probability of being funded than an application in the <br />Neighborhood Revitalization category. Also important to consider is that the county has <br />significant housing rehabilitation needs — particularly in Gifford. For example a study of <br />housing conditions in Gifford revealed that there are 388 sub -standard housing units and <br />146 dilapidated housing units in the Gifford neighborhood. Most of the units needing <br />rehabilitation or demolishing are located in east Gifford, between US 1 and 43rd Avenue. <br />Therefore, east Gifford seems to be an appropriate target area for a CDBG Housing <br />Rehabilitation grant. <br />Besides initiating the RFP process to select a consultant to prepare a standard (Housing <br />category) CDBG application, the county may concurrently initiate the process to select a <br />consultant to prepare an economic development grant application. While an economic <br />development CDBG application may be submitted only in conjunction with a job - <br />creating project, selecting a consultant now will save time if a qualifying project occurs <br />later in the year. <br />From a procedural standpoint, the county must issue two separate RFPs: one for <br />Economic Development and one for either Housing Rehabilitation or Neighborhood <br />Revitalization. Given that Indian River County is unlikely to receive funding for <br />Neighborhood Revitalization, staff's position is that the Board should authorize staff to <br />issue an RFP for Housing Rehabilitation CDBG and an RFP for an Economic <br />Development CDBG. <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br />Staff recommends that the Board of County Commissioners: <br />♦ Open the public hearing; <br />♦ Obtain public input regarding the county's housing and economic development <br />conditions; <br />♦ Direct staff to issue an RFP to hire a consultant to prepare a Housing Rehabilitation <br />CDBG application for the east Gifford area; <br />♦ Direct staff to issue an RFP to hire a consultant to prepare an Economic <br />Development CDBG application; and <br />♦ Activate the County's existing CDBG Advisory Task Force. <br />OCTOBER 23, 2001 n» €i r) r i,;., 99 <br />G11 1 f_ U s 1 :1 ,, L r, <br />-70- <br />