The Citizens Advisory Committee will hold a public hearing April 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hall at Waterbury City Hall, 235 Grand St., to hear comments on the City of Waterbury Consolidated Housing and Community Development 2015-2016 Annual Action Plan/ Use of Funds.
A Summary of The City of Waterbury Consolidated Housing and Community Development 2015-2016 Annual Action Plan/ Use of Funds and Notice of Second Public Hearing on Tuesday, April 14, 2015.
The Waterbury Development Corporation (WDC) on behalf of the City of Waterbury has prepared the City's proposed 2015-2016 Annual Action Plan. Notice is hereby given that the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) will hold a public hearing and public comment period for the proposed plan. This action is undertaken in compliance with federal regulations 24 CFR 91. The Action Plan delineates proposed activities to be funded under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
The 2015-2016 Annual Action Plan identifies how this year’s funds will be used. This year's HUD CDBG, HOME and ESG funding resulted in the following allocations: $1,888,634 (CDBG), $170,558 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and $600,593 HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). Program income for 2015-2016 is anticipated to be $14,000 (CDBG) and $16,300 (HOME). In addition, the City has also estimated that it will have approximately $30,000 in funds from previous years due to the cancellation of projects/activities or the completion of them under budget. The proposed 2015-2016 Annual Plan is listed below.
A thirty (30) day public comment period will commence on March 31, 2015, and will end April 30, 2015. Drafts of the proposed plan will be available for public review at the Silas Bronson Library, 267 Grand Street, the Waterbury Development Corporation and the City Clerk’s Office, 235 Grand Street. The Plan is also available here: http://www.wdconline.org/content/100/1243/1245/1601/default.aspx
Written comments regarding the draft plan may be submitted to the attention of Casey Lawlor, Waterbury Development Corporation, 83 Bank Street, 3rd Floor, Waterbury, CT. 06702 lawlor@wdconline.org
Second Public Hearing: Notice is hereby given that the CAC will hold a public hearing on Tuesday April 14, 2015 at 5:30 PM for the purpose of receiving public input on the proposed plan. The hearing will be located in the Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 2nd floor, City Hall, 235 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT. The facility is handicapped accessible. The City will provide interpreters and assistance for non-English speaking, hearing-impaired or disabled residents upon receiving a request at least four (4) days prior to this hearing date. Contact Casey Lawlor at 203-346-2607 ext. 7281 or at Lawlor@wdconline.org. All interested person(s) are encouraged to attend.
Proposed 2015-2016 Annual Action Plan:
Administration: $377,726.80 - Allocation of 20% CDBG funds to provide for program administration.
1. Social Service Programs
Brass City Harvest (73 Hill St. 324 Mill St.): $16,640.70 - Funds utility and insurance expenses related to food production and program implementation.
Catholic Charities (13 Wolcott St.): $4,901.24 - Funds salaries, building facility, and case management.
Center for Human Development (693 East Main St.): $28,162.75 – Funds salary for program coordinator.
Connecticut Legal Services (85 Central Ave.): $10,162.75 - Funds salaries for housing related legal services.
Family Services of Greater Waterbury (34 Murray St.): $15,109.15 - Funds behavioral health program coordinator.
Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries (770 East Main St.): $41,686.49 - Funds food, supplies, utilities and salaries at soup kitchen and food pantry.
Hispanic Coalition (135 East Liberty St.): $11,492.42 - Funds salaries for Hispanic community case managers.
Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. (267 Grand St.): $5,162.75 - Funds salaries and expenses of the literacy program.
Safe Haven (29 Central Ave.): $10,793.68 - Funds utilities and insurance to support services for abused women/children.
Salvation Army (74 Central Ave.): $9,162.75 - Funds will be used for the emergency food pantry.
Shakesperience Productions, Inc. (117 Bank St.): $5,162.75 - Funds acting intensive scholarship program .
Waterbury Senior Shuttle (83 Bank St.): $100,162.75 - Funds transportation costs for seniors.
Waterbury Youth Service Systems (83 Prospect St.): $14,532.17 - Funds truancy program salaries.
WOW-NRZ Association, Inc. (308 Walnut St.): $10,162.75 - Funds operating expenses of community center.
2. Improvement Projects:
Boys and Girls Club of Greater Waterbury (1037 East Main St.): $40,000 – Funds will be used for new gymnasium bleachers.
Neighborhood Facilities - Police Activity League of Waterbury (64 Division St.): $30,000- Funds will be used for new perimeter fencing and window replacement at PAL Rec Center.
Neighborhood Facilities - Police Activity League of Waterbury (64 Division St.): $20,000- Funds will be used to create a new rooftop garden at PAL Rec Center.
Park Improvements – Berkeley Warner Community Center (277 Long Hill Road): $80,000 – Funds will be used for a new splash pool.
Park Improvements – Hopeville Park (184 Piedmont St.): $180,000 – Funds will be used to replace the athletic field, install new benches and bleachers and install a new splash pool in the children’s playground.
Park Improvements – Lakewood Park (129 Lakewood Rd.): $580,000 – Funds will be used to replace the leaking bath house roof, replace the 30 year-old playscape and reconstruct the deteriorated and blighted parking lot.
Park Improvements – Washington Park (283 Sylvan Ave.): $185,000 – Funds will be used to replace the windows in the Washington Park Community House which serves as a neighborhood recreation center.
Emergency Relocation (Citywide): $112,612.10* – Funds relocation of low-moderate income individuals due to unsafe housing conditions, code violations etc. *Prior year funds of up to $30,000 and anticipated program income of up to $14,000 if realized will also be allocated to this program.
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG):
Administration: $12,791.85 - Allocation of 7.5% of ESG funds to provide for program administration.
Safe Haven (29 Central Ave.): $18,444.93 – Funds shelter operations for victims of domestic violence.
Salvation Army (74 Central Ave.): $47,413.60 - $10,444.93 will be used to fund shelter operations; $27,805 will be used to fund salaries and direct financial assistance related to homelessness prevention services; $9,163.67 will be for direct financial assistance related to rapid re-housing services
St. Vincent DePaul (114 Benedict St.): $91,907.62 - $73,444.94 will be used to fund shelter operations; $18,462.68 will be for direct financial assistance related to rapid re-housing services.
HOME Program: $600,593- Funds will benefit low and moderate households, targeted as determined by the WDC. 10% ($60,059.30) will be used for administration and 15% ($90,088.95) will be used for CHDO housing development. $450,444.75 will be used for housing activities. An estimated $16,300 in program income will be put back into the program.