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#5 CDBG-EAP Public Hearing NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES MEMORANDUM March 12, 2009 TO: Community Development Authority FROM: Kelly Lee, Neighborhood Development Specialist SUBJECT: Community Block Grant Supplemental Disaster Allocation Emergency Assistance Program Summary The Neighborhood Services Department was granted City Council’s approval to apply for Community Development Block Grant-Emergency Assistance Program th funding during the regular council meeting of March 9, 2009. The CDBG-EAP grants are to be used to provide assistance to individuals and businesses that were damaged during the disaster period of June 5 through July 25, 2008. In addition, the funds can be used to reimburse the City of Janesville for repair and replacement of public infrastructure damaged during that same period. Reimbursement costs are only eligible if other funding was not available such as insurance or other state or federal programs. Background The Federal Government through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, has recently awarded the State of Wisconsin a total of $24 million in Disaster Assistance. The Community Development Block Grant-Emergency Assistance Program (CDBG-EAP) is a special program the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) activated to assist local units of government that have recently experienced a natural or manmade disaster. The storms and flooding of June 5 through July 25, 2008, led to a federal disaster declaration, FEMA-DR-1768 WI, in 31 Wisconsin counties including Rock County. As a result of this declaration, DHCD has reallocated a share of its annual CDBG allocation and is in the process of obtaining Supplemental Disaster Allocation funds through HUD to address unmet housing and community needs. There are three categories of eligible activities. The repair and replacement of low and moderate-income (LMI) owner occupied housing that is the principal place of residence and was damage during the disaster; the repair and replacement of public infrastructure limited to facilities that affect the health and safety of residents of the community that was damaged; and assistance to businesses having unmet recovery needs including the repair of flood damages, loss on inventory and lack of working capital due to lost revenues. 1 As part of the grant requirement the City of Janesville is required to conduct a public hearing to gain citizen input. Neighborhood Services is requesting that the CDA conduct a public hearing for this purpose. cc: Jennifer Petruzzello 2