PUBLIC NOTICE: Notice of a Public Review and Comment Period on 2019 Action Plan Amendments and Citizen Participation Plan Amendments

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF A PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT PERIOD ON 2019 ACTION PLAN AMENDMENTS AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN AMENDMENTS

On March 27, 2020, the United States Congress passed The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R. 748). The bill provided additional funding to rapidly respond to COVID-19 and the economic and housing impacts caused by the pandemic. A substantial amendment to the FY 2019 Annual Action Plan is necessary in order to receive CARES Act funds, and usually a thirty (30) day public comment period is required, however, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has waived this requirement provided that no less than five (5) days are provided for public comments on each substantial amendment. The State of Maryland will be awarded CARES Act funding under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) Program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA-CV) Program.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development hereby gives notice that the following public review and comment period to examine and consider substantial amendments to the FY 2019 Action Plan to allocate funds awarded under the CARES to immediately prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis will begin on June 2, 2020, and end June 6, 2020 Notice is also given that the State will amend its Citizen Participation Plan to allow flexibility to immediately respond to an emergency situation. 

The State will hold two video conference public meetings to consider the adoption of the FY 2019 Action Plan and Citizen Participation Plan Amendments. The public review and comment period are in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) guidance issued April 1, 2020, as part of its COVID-19 response. 

The meetings will be conducted in accordance with the State of Maryland’s Safer at Home Advisory. The State will participate in the meetings by video and telephone conference, with no physical meeting location. If you wish to participate in the public hearing via video, please email janai.streat@maryland.gov to receive a link. These real-time virtual public hearings will take place on:

Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at 11:00 AM
Join by phone: 1-617-675-4444 PIN: 684 015 632 6119#

Thursday, June 4, 2020, at 7:00 PM
Join by phone: 1-617-675-4444 PIN: 326 584 420 7721#

The State will make every effort to accommodate those with disabilities by providing the meetings in both audio and visual format. Persons requiring a translator should request one at least three days prior to the virtual hearing they plan to attend. 

Under the CARES Act, Congress provided $5 billion to fund the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG-CV) for activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus crisis. The first $2 billion was distributed using the same formula HUD used to award funds to entitlements and states for FFY 2020. The State of Maryland was awarded $4,691,887 for non-entitlement communities. The CDBG-CV funds will be distributed as follows:

 Under the CARES Act, an additional $4 billion was authorized for the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG-CV) Program. The first $1 billion of that funding was allocated on April 2, 2020. The State of Maryland was awarded $4,031,542for non-entitlement communities. Funds will be awarded to the six current CoC lead agencies in non-entitlement jurisdictions, as well as the five former CoC lead agencies that are now part of the Balance of State. The ESG-CV funds will be distributed as follows:

Under the CARES Act, Congress provided $53,700,000 in formula grants and $10,000,000 in competitive grants to fund the Housing Persons with Aids (HOPWA-CV) Program for activities to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus crisis. The awards were distributed using the same formula HUD used to award funds to entitlements and states for FFY 2020. The State of Maryland was awarded $79,841 for its non-entitlement, rural community programs. The HOPWA-CV funds will be distributed as follows:

PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD FOR THE AMENDMENT TO 2019 ACTION PLAN AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN

The Amendments to the 2019 Action Plan and the Citizen Participation Plan public review and comment period begins on June 2, 2020, and ends June 6, 2020. Copies of the Amendments to the 2019 Action Plan and Citizen Participation Plan can be found on the publications page of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development at https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Pages/Publications.aspx. During the review and comment period about the herein described amendments to the 2019 Action Plan and Citizen Participation Plan, members of the public may submit comments to: 

Mrs. Ja’Nai Streat
Senior Housing Policy Analyst
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
7800 Harkins Road
Lanham, Maryland 20706
(301) 429-7445 or Maryland Relay for the Deaf at 1 (800) 735-2258
janai.streat@maryland.gov

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