Apopka to hold public hearing on COVID-related, small city development grant

First public hearing to be held March 17 at City Hall

From the City of Apopka

EL AVISO DE PRIMERA AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA ESTÁ DISPONIBLE EN ESPAÑOL EN EL SITIO WEB DE LA CIUDAD DE APOPKA con Google Translate botón.

The City of Apopka is considering applying to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant in the Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Application cycle.

A total of $41,931,595.00 is being made available through a competitive application process to local governments who are eligible to participate in the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program within the State of Florida. The minimum amount a community may apply for is two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00), the maximum amount a community may apply for is five million dollars ($5,000,000.00). The City may submit only one application for a single project or program.

These funds must be used for projects that meet the following threshold criteria:

Project activities must meet at least one of the following National Objectives:

Benefit to Low-and-Moderate Income Persons (LMI) individuals and/or households, including:

Indirect benefit activities – at least 51% of beneficiaries must be LMI; or

Direct benefit activities – 100% of beneficiaries must be LMI.

Prevention or elimination of slum and blight – see 24 CFR §570.483(c); or

Address an Urgent Need – see 24 CFR 570.483(d).

Project activities must prevent, prepare for, or respond to the coronavirus, and should demonstrate a:

Direct effect: Costs directly associated with coronavirus prevention, preparation, or response, (e.g. rehabilitation of building to create additional quarantine and isolation rooms for recovering COVID-19 patients).

Indirect effect: Economic and housing market disruptions (e.g. small business assistance).

Examples of some of the activities which can be applied for include but are not limited to the following:

Rehabilitate a facility for testing, diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19.

Acquire and rehabilitate, or construct, a group living facility that may be used to centralize patients undergoing treatment.

Installation of wiring, fiber optic cables, and permanently affixed equipment such as receivers for areas to receive broadband/internet access.

Rehabilitate a senior center, community center or homeless shelter by replacing the HVAC system and/or installing air purification system.

Acquisition and/or rehabilitation of a building to expand capacity of homeless shelters to accommodate social distancing and isolation.

Installation of wi-fi routers/extenders in affordable housing buildings for LMI residents.

Provide testing, diagnosis or other services at a fixed or mobile location.

Provide equipment, supplies, and materials necessary to carry-out a public service (e.g., childcare for working parents with distance learning school kids).

Deliver meals on wheels to quarantined individuals or individuals that need to maintain social distancing due to medical vulnerabilities.

The range of activities that may be undertaken will be provided at the public hearing. In developing an application for submission to DEO, the City must plan to minimize displacement of persons as a result of planned CDBG-CV activities. In addition, the City is required to develop a plan to assist displaced persons.

The public hearing to receive citizen views concerning the community’s housing, economic and other community development needs related to the coronavirus will be held on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at 7:00 PM or as soon as possible thereafter during a regular City Council meeting to be held at the City of Apopka City Hall, Council Chambers, 120 E. Main Street, Apopka, FL. 32703.

If you wish to attend the City Council meeting virtually, log on to www.apopka.net/agenda. If you have questions concerning the CDBG-CV application process or the list of eligible activities, please contact Dr. Shakenya Harris-Jackson, Grant Administrator at (407) 703-1819, or via email to sjackson@apopka.net.

The meeting is being held in a handicapped accessible facility. Non-English speaking, deaf, or visually impaired persons needing an interpreter or any handicapped person requiring special accommodation should contact Ms. Susan Bone, City Clerk at 407-703-1704, TDD Numbers: 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice) at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.