Public hearing on grant funding approved
EL CENTRO — The Imperial County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a request to hold a public hearing to solicit citizen input involving the 2021 Community Development Block Grant and the two CARES ACT applications.
Imperial County Workforce & Economic Development Director Priscilla Lopez requested for the supervisors to adopt resolutions authorizing ICWED to submit grant applications for $1.5 million and for a grant application of $530,572 under the CBBG Cares Act and Notice of Funding Availability.
Lopez requested that Supervisor Chairman Mike Kelley, CEO Tony Rouhotas Jr. or a designee execute the standard agreement, including the amendments and documents to allow it to be eligible to participate in the CDBG program.
Those applying for the $1.5 million could select three applications totaling no more than this amount.
ICEWD chose single-family homebuyer assistance for $500,000, single-family rehabilitation for $500,000 and a neighborhood cleanup under public assistance for the last $500,000.
Planning and technical assistance, which could have been awarded up to $250,000, was not chosen as one of the three activities.
The $530,572 the county received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, commonly referred to as the CARES Act would allow for four more allocations.
The four include assistance to businesses and micro enterprises impacted by COVID-19, public services related to COVID-19 support, family and infrastructure improvements related to COVID-19, and acquisitions and rehabilitation of real property.
Citizen participation is required to be eligible for grant funding and is necessary for application points. Because of the pandemic. Lopez’s office held Zoom meetings with all of the unincorporated areas of the county.
The flier submitted to residents also provided an email address for additional comments.
Under the $530,572 subsistence payments program through the public payments program, rental assistance is not an eligible activity, as a statewide emergency rental assistance program has already been launched for this separately.
Therefore the proposed subsistence payments will provide temporary assistance to eligible applicants for mortgage assistance, utility assistance and food vouchers for up to three months.