PUBLIC NOTICE: Notice of a Public Review and Comment Period on 2019 Action Plan Community Development Block Grant Amendment

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of a Public Review and Comment Period on 2019 Action Plan

Community Development Block Grant Amendment

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 has been 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.

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 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded funds to entitlements and states for federal fiscal year 2020. The State of Maryland, through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), was awarded $4,691,887 for non-entitlement communities (Round 1) and $16,144,887 (Round 2) to be used for both entitlement and non-entitlement communities. The State was awarded a third and final round of funds in the amount of $5,277,931 to be used in non-entitlement communities.

The CDBG-CV (Round 3) funds will be distributed as follows:

State Administration (5%)	$304,653.26
Technical Assistance (2%)	$152,478.13
Projects and Activities	$4,320,799.61
Eviction Prevention Legal Services	$500,000.00
TOTAL	$5,277,931.00

The following will apply to the use of the Round 3 funds for non-entitlement counties only for emergency rental assistance: For this grant, the State chooses to only accept applications from county governments through a competitive process. This limitation is an effort to address needs impacting the entire county.

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 September 28, 2020, and end October 2, 2020.

The State will hold two video conference public meetings to consider the adoption of the FY 2019 Action Plan. 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 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, September 29, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
Join by phone: 1-617-675-4444‬
PIN: 600 543 720 6897‬#

Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
Join by phone: 1-617-675-4444‬
PIN: 275 383 533 7961‬#

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.

PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD FOR THE CDBG AMENDMENT TO 2019 ACTION PLAN

The Amendments to the 2019 Action public review and comment period begins on September 28, 2020, and end October 2, 2020. A copy of the Amendment to the 2019 Action 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 amendment to the 2019 Action 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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