CITY OF ANNISTON, ALABAMA
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
FOR USE IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
CPD COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
City of Anniston
Community Development Department
1128 Gurnee Avenue
Anniston, Alabama36201
Adopted: July 10, 2007 (Resolution No. 07-R-72)
This document supercedes and replaces in its entirety the revised Citizen Participation adopted on June 22, 2004 by Resolution 04-R-49.
City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
Table of Contents
Section 1.Purpose and Intent1
Section 2.Commonly Used Terms and Definitions2
Section 3.Citizen Participation Plan Requirements for HUD CPD 3
Programs
Section4.Citizen Participation Strategy4
Section 5.Publish/Distribute Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan 5
Program Documents
Section 6.Hold Public Hearings6
A.Identification of Needs and Priorities for the Consolidated Plan 7
and Annual Action Plan
B.Presentation of Proposed Consolidated Plan and/or Annual 7
Action Plan
C.Annual Action Plan7
D.Notice of Public Hearing8
E.Public Hearing Accommodations and Locations8
Section 7.Ensure Community Access to and Availability of Information8
and Records
Section 8.Provide for Citizen Involvement in Substantial Change9
Amendment
Section 9.Encourage Citizen comment/Assessment of the City’s CAPER11
Section 10.Provide Technical Assistance to Agencies/Citizens Requesting11
Funding
Section 11.Encourage the Participation of Low- and Very Low-Income 12
Citizens, Public Housing Residents, Minorities and Limited
English Proficient Residents
Section. 12Encourage Additional citizen Input Methods12
Section 13.Management Amendments to the Citizen Participation Plan 13
for the CDBG Program
City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
Table of Contents continued
Section 14.Comments and Complaints13
Section 15. Appeals14
Section 16. Limited English Proficiency Opportunities14
Section 17. Antidisplacement/Relocation15
Section 18 Contact Persons for Information on the City’s CDBG Program15
Section 19. Authority15
City Council Resolution Adopting Amended Plan16-17
City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
Section 1.Purpose and Intent
The City of Anniston is required to adopt a citizen participation plan that sets forth the City’s policies and procedures for citizen participation. The City of Anniston, pursuant to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations 24 CFR Parts 91 and 570, et. al., “Consolidated Plan Revisions and Updates; Final Rule” issued February 9. 2006 has revised its citizen participation process and plan to ensure full compliance with Federal regulations. The Citizen Participation Plan (CPP), as previously structured in accordance with Section 104 (a) (3) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, has been amended. The CPP provides a strategy which the City of Anniston follows to ensure the participation of all citizens in the development of the Consolidated Plan Document (CPD), which is the City’s guide for use the CPD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Federal Entitlement Program. This plan will aim to ensure the participation of all citizens, including special assurances to be made to ensure the participation of the following, but not limited to: extremely low-, low-, and moderate income persons, particularly those living in slum/blight areas; persons living in areas where federal funds are proposed to be used; residents of assisted housing; low income residents of targeted revitalization areas; minorities; persons with limited English proficiency; and persons with disabilities.
Citizen Participation is an integral part of the overall planning, evaluation, assessment and implementation process of the City of Anniston’s Community Development Block Grant Program. In order for the City to access its CDBG resources, it must prepare and submit a Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plans. HUD further requires that the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plans and any performance reports be developed using input from citizens, community agencies, and beneficiaries.
The purpose of this CPP is to provide citizens and beneficiaries with the information and mechanisms to allow them to fully participate at all levels of the City’s Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan and Annual Performance Report processes. The City of Anniston recognizes the importance of citizen participation and fully endorses a philosophy that maximizes citizen involvement in its housing and community development activities. This Citizen Participation Plan for the CDBG Program outlines a process that will allow the City to:
1.Provide citizens an opportunity to participate in the development of the Consolidated Plan for the CDBG Program, set priorities, establish goals and comment on performance.
2.Encourage the submission of comments, views and proposals—particularly by low-and moderate-income residents.
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City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
3.Provide for timely responses to proposals and comments submitted.
4.Schedule meetings, public hearings, presentations and all other activities of public
nature at times and locations that permit broad participation and attendance.
5.Provide complete information regarding the City’s CDBG Program, relevant legislation and regulations and other materials and documents as needed or requested to ensure a knowledgeable citizen involvement.
It is the intent of this CPP for the CDBG Program that all citizen participation be conducted in an open manner with freedom of access for all interested persons. The City of Anniston acknowledges by expanding the number of parties involved in the Consolidated Plan planning and implementation processes that it increases the quality of dialogue, the potential for innovative solutions and the commitment to agreed upon solutions.
Section 2.Commonly Used Terms and Definitions
HUD – United States of Housing and Urban Development. This is the federal agency that oversees the use of CDBG funds. It approves the City’s Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), and any amendments to the aforementioned items. HUD also is the agency that monitors the City’s CDBG program for compliance with all applicable regulations.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is a federally funded program administered by HUD. Its primary objective is to principally benefit persons of low- and moderate-income by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and through expanding economic opportunities.
Consolidated Plan (CP) – A three (3) of five (5) year comprehensive plan that describes the City’s housing and non-housing community development needs and sets forth local strategies to address them. The CP must be submitted to HUD in order for the City to receive CDBG funds.
Annual Action Plan (AAP) – The annual application that describes how the City will use its anticipated CDBG resources to implement the CP in a one-year time frame. The Annual Action Plan also describes other actions that the City, its city departments, subrecipients, and other community partners will take to implement its Consolidated Plan.
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City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program – The CPP is the required plan that sets forth the City’s policies and procedures for citizen participation in HUD programs. The adopted plan must be used when developing the CP, the AAP, the CAPER, and any substantial amendments to either plan.
Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) – The CAPER reports the one-year progress and performance of the CDBG program administered by the City’s staff and its Subrecipients.
Section 3.Citizen Participation Plan Requirements for HUD CPD Programs
HUD’s Housing and Community Development Act (as amended) requires that citizens be included in an advisory role in the planning, implementation and assessment of every recipient’s CPD Programs. In meeting this requirement and in fulfilling the City of Anniston’s commitment to provide residents with a wide range of opportunities to participate in the community development process, the following Citizen Participation Plan has been developed for the City’s CDBG program. The City of Anniston’s Community Development Department is responsible for the adherence to and implementation of the adopted Citizen Participation Plan.
Federal regulations governing the CPD/CDBG program require that each CDBG entitlement community/city applying for federal funds must:
a.Provide for and encourage citizens to participate in the development of the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, substantial amendments to the Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan, and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. Specific emphasis should encourage participation from:
-Low-and moderate-income persons, particularly those living in slum and blighted areas, in areas where CDBG funds are proposed to be used, and by residents from predominately low- and moderate income neighborhood
-Minorities and persons with limited English proficiency
-Persons with disabilities
-Residents of public and assisted housing developments;
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City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
b.Provide for public hearings to obtain citizen views and to respond to proposals and questions at all stages of the Consolidated Plan processes, including at least the development of needs, the review of proposed activities and the review of program performance. These hearings shall be held after adequate notice, at times
and locations convenient to potential or actual beneficiaries, and with accommodations for persons with disabilities;
c.Provide citizens with reasonable and timely access to local meetings, information
and records relating to the proposed use of CPD/CBDG funds;
d.Define what constitutes a “Substantial Amendment” to the Consolidated/Annual
Action Plan and the process for obtaining citizen input on the amendment;
e.Provide for technical assistance to groups representative of persons of low and moderate income who request such assistance in developing proposals;
f.Provide for a timely written answer to written complaints and grievances; and
g.Identify how the needs of residents with limited English proficiency will be met in the case of public hearings where a significant number of residents with limited English proficiency can be reasonably expected to participate.
Section 4.Citizen Participation Strategy
The City of Anniston recognizes that Community Development Block Grant funds are tax money returned to the City to be used primarily to benefit extremely low-, low- and moderate-income persons. City staff and officials are stewards of this public money and will openly discuss all records, except those confidential records protecting a household’s privacy.
The City will fulfill its role by holding public meetings and carrying out the procedures established in the CDBG participation guidelines for the pre-submission requirements, and/or other HUD guidelines as applicable. The City will hold meetings to review funding requests and ask for public comment upon primary CDBG documents, and/or other funding documents as applicable.
In an effort to directly reach those who could benefit most from the CDBG program, the City during the preparation of its 5-YEAR Consolidated Plan will utilize a Housing and Community Development Needs Survey to solicit participation from the City’s low- and moderate-income persons and neighborhoods. Residents will be asked to rate needs related to housing, community facilities, community services, infrastructure, accessibility and economic development as high, medium or low priorities, and the survey to the Community Development Department.
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City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
The City Council makes the final determination about how the CDBG monies are allocated. The City Council will hold at least one public hearing on the proposed Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan to collect citizen input concerning the CDBG budget and its proposed allocations before rendering its final approval. Spanish translators have been identified and can be present at public hearings or technical sessions if translation services are requested in advance.
Section 5.Publish/Distribute Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan
Program Documents
General Information Requirements
The Citizen Participation Plan requires that before the City adopts and submits its Consolidated Plan,Annual Action Plan and/or submits its CAPER, it will make available to citizens, public agencies and other interested parties information that included at least the following:
a. The amount of assistance the City expects to receive (including HUD entitlement grant funds and program income);
b.Range of activities that may be undertaken, including the estimated amount that will benefit persons of low-and moderate income;
c.The City’s plan to minimize the displacement of persons and to assist any
persons displaced by housing activities;
d.The Results from previous year’s performance on meeting stated goals and
addressing priorities;
e.Impact of substantial program amendments on the implementation of the
Consolidated Plan; and
f.Any other relevant data that will assist in helping citizens understand and
participate in the CDBG Program processes.
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City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
Publication of Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, Substantial Amendment(s), and the CAPER and other Program Documents
The City will publish and otherwise make available the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, Substantial Amendment(s), and the CAPER in the manner that allows citizens, public agencies and other interested parties a reasonable opportunity to examine its contents and submit comments. The publication and availability efforts will include, but not be limited to: publishing of a notice of the availability of a summary of the applicable document in one or more newspapers of general circulation; placing copies of the summary document at the public library; placing the summary document on the City’s Web site; sending electronic copies (by request via e-mail); and providing a reasonable number of free copies to agencies or individuals that request one.
The City will allow for at least a 30-day review and comment period for the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and Substantial Amendment to either. Citizens will have at least 15 days to review and submit comments on the CAPER.
Section 6.Hold Public Hearings
In addition to making documents available for review and comment, the City will hold public hearings in order to provide the community an opportunity to comment on, and respond to, recommendations and issues. Citizens attending City-sponsored public hearing for the Consolidated Plan or Annual Action Plan will be given an opportunity to comment both orally and in writing on past performance and on housing and non-housing community development needs, anticipated funding and proposed activities funding. The City will summarize all comments. These comments will be considered in conjunction with the preparation of the plan and a summary will be included in the final Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan.
The City is required by statute to provide at least two (2) public hearings during the development of the Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan. Once during the development, and the second before the proposed plan is advertised, soliciting public comment. Together, these public hearings must address housing and non-housing community development needs, development of proposed activities and a review of program performance.
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City of Anniston, Alabama -Citizen Participation Plan for HUD CDBG Program
A.Identification of Needs and Priorities for the Consolidated Plan
The City will hold at least two (2) public hearings, one of which is to obtain views of citizens, public agencies and other interested parties on identifying local housing and non-housing community development needs, issues and priorities. Further, comments and suggestions about strategies and activities to address needs will be encouraged. This first hearing will be held at least 60 days prior to the date the Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan is approved by the City Council. To facilitate comments, staff will review the City’s CDBG program performance and accomplishments during the previous year and over the life of the previous Consolidated Plan. Information will include, but not be limited to total resources expended, and amounts expended to assist low- and moderate- income persons/areas.
B.Presentation of Proposed Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan
The second public hearing will allow citizens and interested parties to comment on the published Proposed Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan. Additional information presented at the hearing may include: (1) an overview of the CDBG program, (2) a summary of the current Annual Action Plan, (3) the amount of assistance (including grant funds and program income) the City expects to receive over the next program year, (4) the range of activities that may be undertaken and (5) a copy of the City’s CAPER(s) will also be available for review.