2022-2024 Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) – California

The City of Seaside is seeking applications for the 2022-2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding cycle.

Donor Name: City of Seaside

State: California

City: Seaside

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 01/10/2022

Size of the Grant: $12,000

Grant Duration: 2 years

Details:

The City is an entitlement community and anticipates receiving approximately $375,000 per fiscal year in CDBG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City also anticipates receiving approximately $105,000 in program income per fiscal year which will be available for allocation to CDBG activities.

Funding will be contingent on availability from HUD and will be administered by the City through its Community Development Department. All proposed public service and public facilities and infrastructure activities must benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) Seaside residents and/or designated LMI areas.

Project Goals

All projects must create a public benefit and serve one of the City of Seaside’s Consolidated Plan goals:

• Access to community services (youth and senior services are priority services)
• Provide quality infrastructure (includes construct/upgrade public facilities)
• Improve accessibility for persons with disabilities
• Promote beautification (CDAC preferred not to use the term “blight”)
• Assist microbusinesses

National Objectives

The CDBG program provides grants and loans to implement a variety of community and economic development activities. The purpose of the program is to provide decent housing and a suitable living environment for low- to moderate-income individuals and families. All projects are required to meet at least one of the following national objectives:

• Primarily benefit low- or moderate-income persons or households. Low- or moderate- income (LMI) refers to those earning less than 80% area median income. This is the most common qualifier. Documentation of the benefit to low/moderate income level persons is required of every project funded under this objective. Activities meeting this national objective fit into one of two types:
  • Limited clientele activities – A limited clientele activity benefits a specific sector of the community, rather than all the residents in a particular area, of which at least 51% must be LMI persons. To qualify for this category, the activity must meet one of the following criteria:
    • Collect information from all participants about family size and income through and intake forms to demonstrate that at least 51% of clientele do not exceed the LMI limits.
    • Exclusively benefit clientele HUD has presumed are principally LMI, including abused and neglected children, seniors, persons with disabilities, persons experiencing homelessness, domestic violence survivors, illiterate adults, persons living with HIV/AIDS, and migrant farm workers. Note that the presumption of LMI may be challenged if there is evidence the activity is likely not principally serving LMI persons.
  • Area benefit activities – An area benefit activity, that benefit all residents within a defined geographic area (area benefit), can meet the low/moderate income benefit requirement if the area contains a minimum of 51% low- or moderateincome residents, as calculated by HUD. HUD maintains an online map application containing income data by Census Tract Block Group.
• Aid in the elimination of slum or blight conditions. HUD has strict guidelines to define these conditions. A project rarely meets this national objective. Please contact HCDS staff to determine if your project is eligible under this national objective.
• Meet an urgent community need. Generally, this objective is only used in the case of recent serious natural disasters (e.g., earthquake, flooding, etc.) and only when no other funding sources are available.

Funding Information

• The City also anticipates receiving approximately $105,000 in program income per fiscal year, which will be available for allocation to CDBG activities. Of these funds, the City will allocate 20% to CDBG program planning and administration, 15% to public services, and the remaining 65% to public facilities and infrastructure projects.
• This Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) covers a two-year period for CDBG activities that will begin July 1, 2022, and end June 30, 2024.

Eligible Activities

Eligible activities under CDBG federal standards include community development, public and social services, economic development, and housing activities. However, the City of Seaside primarily funds public services and community development activities through this application.

Eligible activities include:

• Public Facilities and Improvements – Construction, rehabilitation, or installation of public improvements or facilities. Improvements may be made to facilities traditionally owned by government, such as parks and sidewalks, or to those owned by non-profits that operate for the public. Facilities for the general conduct of government, such as government offices, are not eligible.
• Public Services – Labor, supplies, and material to operate public services and their facilities. Public services include employment and job development services, childcare, health services, fair housing counseling, senior citizen services, homeless services, and youth enrichment services. Please note this is a non-exhaustive list of examples. Public services are limited to 15% of the total annual grant allocation.
• Economic Development – Creation or retainment of permanent jobs for LMI populations, commercial/industrial improvements in LMI areas, or job training and technical assistance. These activities have significant documentation/reporting requirements and must meet the federal public benefit standard. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contacts the CDBG Program Administrator before applying.

Eligible Applicants

• This NOFA is open to public or private non-profit organizations, City of Seaside departments, and educational institutions only. Faith-based organizations are allowed to compete for CDBG funds on the same basis as other non-profits; however, funds cannot be used to support worship, religious instruction or proselytization. Faith-based organizations that participate in the CDBG program shall not discriminate against a program beneficiary on the basis of religion or religious belief. Organizations are strongly discouraged from applying for funds unless they are ready to implement the activity proposed for funding.
• Those who wish to submit an application for funding must attend the mandatory CDBG Workshop on December 10, 2021 at 11am. Agencies must submit an application by the deadline in order to be considered for FY22 and FY23 CDBG funding. Applicants that do not meet the requirements described above may be disqualified without review. Applications submitted by nonprofit organizations must be submitted by an authorized representative, as authorized by the organization’s Board of Directors.

For more information, visit City of Seaside.