Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
CDBG Introduction
What is MCRPC's Role? Current
Projects Who to Contact?
Public Hearing and Workshop - 2007 CDBG
Funding Availability
Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - 1:30PM,
MCRPC office
Click here for details!
Updated: December 8, 2006
The
Community Development Block Grant program is an important funding tool for
implementing community plans.
Municipalities can regularly apply for funding for qualifying
activities and projects.
The Mercer County Regional Planning Commission is available to help
Mercer County communities apply for funding from this program.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
program is federally funded through the United States Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD). The program awards grants in order to carry out a
wide range of community development activities directed toward revitalizing
neighborhoods, economic development, and providing improved community
facilities and services. The CDBG program is an important tool in helping
local governments tackle the most serious challenges facing their communities.
CDBG funds are to be used for activities that
benefit low- and moderate-income persons, carry out activities which aid in
the prevention or elimination of slums and blight, or address existing
conditions that pose a serious and immediate threat to the welfare of the
community where other financial resources are not available to meet these
needs.
CDBG funds may be used for activities that
include, but are not limited to:
- Acquisition of Real Property
- Relocation and Demolition
- Rehabilitation of Residential and
Non-Residential Structures
- Construction of Public Facilities and
Improvements, such as Water and Sewer Facilities, Streets, Neighborhood
Centers, and the Conversion of Schools for Eligible Purposes
- Public Services (within certain limits)
The
annual appropriation for the CDBG program is generally split between
entitlement communities and the states.
Entitlement communities are larger municipalities that receive their
own annual funding allocation.
Smaller, non-entitlement communities may seek funding from Mercer
County's annual entitlement allocation.
Furthermore, the states distribute the funds to localities that do not
qualify as entitlement communities through a competitive application process.
Entitlement communities in Mercer County are the cities of Farrell,
Hermitage and Sharon, the boroughs of Greenville, Grove City, and Sharpsville,
Pine Township and Mercer County.
What is MCRPC's Role in CDBG?
MCRPC serves its
members’ community development needs via grant writing and project
administration/management expertise. MCRPC has helped numerous communities
apply for and receive competitive CDBG funding through applications to the
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). DCED
administers the CDBG program for the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
. Interested individuals and groups are encouraged to contact their local
municipality to begin the competitive application process.
In addition to the
competitive application process, non-entitlement communities and other
organizations may apply to
Mercer
County
for a portion of their CDBG entitlement funding. MCRPC assists the county
commissioners in determining which projects to fund during this process.
Currently, MCRPC
administers
Mercer
County
, Greenville Borough and
Pine
Township
's CDBG entitlement programs, as well as member communities that have been
awarded competitive CDBG funds. MCRPC's project administration/management is a
daily process that occurs throughout the year to insure compliance with
numerous applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations and standards.
Preparing requests for proposals, project bidding, holding public hearings,
financial management, environmental reviews and labor standards compliance are
several of the administrative tasks performed to successfully bring a project
to fruition.
Current
Projects
Projects currently being
administered by MCRPC are as follows:
Mercer County 2006
Overview:
Mercer
County
distributed their CDBG allocation to several municipalities in 2006.
Coolspring Township received $94,000 to pay for LMI residents to tap into a
sanitary sewer system to be built in the southern portion of the township,
Mercer Borough was given $120,000 to construct/replace storm sewers along W.
Butler Street and S. Maple Street, Liberty Township received $18,200 for
sanitary sewer laterals and related components on Schmidt Road, Wheatland
Borough received $5,000 to demolish a dilapidated house, the Community
Counseling Center was allocated $10,000 to expand outpatient services and
AWARE, Inc. received $16,563 to expand a rural legal advocacy program for
victims of physical and sexual abuse.
Current Status:
ER Complete and subgrant agreements are being executed.
Greenville 2006
Overview:
The Borough of Greenville designated FY 2006 funds to continue code
enforcement ($63,000) and to fund street/road improvements ($29,500), with
$25,000 to
Taylor Street
reconstruction and $4,500 going towards sidewalk improvements (eligible
borough-wide).
Current Status:
ER Complete.
Pine Twp. 2006
Overview:
Pine
Township
designated FY 2006 funds to the installation of sewer laterals and related
components on
Schmidt Road
($50,000) and to their ongoing housing rehabilitation program ($43,588).
Current Status:
ER Complete. RFP for Housing Rehabilitation Consultant sent out in December,
2006. Rehabilitation expected to occur throughout 2007 and subsequent years.
Hermitage 2006 &
Farrell 2006
Overview:
MCRPC is responsible for conducting Environmental Reviews (ERs) for the City
of
Hermitage
& the City of
Farrell CDBG
programs.
Funding:
Farrell & Hermitage CDBG
Current Status:
FY 2006 ER consultation began in early May, 2006 and was completed in August
of 2006.
Mercer County 2005
Overview:
Mercer County designated its 2005 funds as follows: $10,000 to the Community
Counseling Center and $12,007 to AWARE Inc., both public service activities;
$10,000 to the Literacy Council of Mercer County for family development
services; $48,000 to Mercer Borough for a borough-wide program to replace
sewer-laterals for low-moderate-income (LMI) qualifying persons; $217,283 to
Wheatland Borough for street/road improvements (storm water drainage
improvements, reconstruction of road surfaces and curbs) on Beechwood Avenue
and Chestnut, Laird and Morton Streets.
Current Status: Environmental Review has been completed and subgrant
agreements have been executed. The Public Services have been using funds to
operate and expand their programs. Wheatland Project is underway and should be
completed in December of 2006 (weather permitting).
Greenville 2005
Overview:
The Borough of Greenville designated FY 2005 funds to continue code
enforcement ($61,772) and spot demolition ($4,435) and to fund street/road
improvements ($50,000), with half going to Taylor Street reconstruction and
half going towards sidewalk improvements (eligible borough-wide).
Current Status: Environmental Review is complete.
Pine Twp. 2005
Overview:
Pine
Township
designated 2005 funds to construct a sanitary sewer system to serve homeowners
along Schmidt and North Liberty Roads ($75,600), rehabilitate housing
throughout the township ($22,137) and to demolish a dilapidated house
($5,500).
Current Status: Environmental Review is complete. House has been demolished
and the
Schmidt Road
project should be underway in the spring of 2007.
Mercer County 2004
Overview/Funding:
Mercer County designated the 2004 CDBG
funds as follows: Hempfield Township ADA improvements to Hempfield Twp. Park
($12,173); Jackson Center Borough spot demolition ($17,868); Jamestown Borough
ADA improvements to the Borough building ($37,950); Mercer Borough emergency
siren ($24,800); MCRCOG for the transportation/recreation services for LMI
persons ($17,300); The Literacy Council of Mercer County for Public service
($30,000); Wheatland Borough storm sewer project ($73,095); Woodland Place for
facility renovations ($76,458); and Mercer County Area Agency on Aging, Inc.
for Sandy Lake senior center improvements ($17,200).
Status:
Contract executed with the Commonwealth. Subgrant
agreements executed between County and project sponsors.
The environmental review has been completed.
Hempfield
Township
and Jackson Center Borough projects completed in summer, 2005; Jamestown ADA
improvements completed in November, 2005; Mercer Borough emergency siren
completed in fall, 2006.
Greenville 2004
Current Status:
Greenville
Borough designated its 2004 CDBG
funds as follows: Reconstruction of South High Street (street, water) and
Sidewalk Rehabilitation ($59,000), Code Enforcement ($60,000) and Clearance
($4,600). Contract executed with
the Commonwealth in summer 2004. All
projects have been completed.
Pine Twp. 2000,
2002-2004
Overview:
Pine
Township
recently modified its 2000 CDBG Entitlement to fund the S.R. 173/Airport Road
Sewer Line Extension Project. This project will extend new sanitary sewer
service to twenty-two (22) homes that currently are characterized by failing
on-lot septic systems. The project area is 53% low-to-moderate income.
Funding:
The project is funded through CDBG funds in the amount of $356,675.
Pine
Township
will use funds from its 2000, 2002, 2003 and a portion of its 2004 CDBG
Entitlement .
Current Status:
This project will extend new sanitary sewer service to twenty-two (22)
homes that currently are characterized by failing on-lot septic systems.
The project area is 53% low-to-moderate income.
The project is funded through CDBG funds in the amount of $356,675.
Pine
Township
used funds from its 2000, 2002, 2003 and its 2004 CDBG Entitlement.
Project construction is complete.
Mercer County 2003
Current Status:
Fredonia water system improvement project is
expected to be completed by early summer, 2006.
Jamestown Sanitary Sewer project – comminutor has been installed and
is operating. Mercer Borough ADA
improvements to municipal building in design phase.
Public Service -
Mercer
County
Regional Council of Governments for the transportation/recreation services for
LMI persons is ongoing.
Greenville 2003
Current
Status:
South High Street
project bid was over-budget. Was
re-bid in the spring of 2005 and construction has since been completed.
Mercer County 2002
Overview/Funding:
Mercer County designated its 2002 CDBG Entitlement funds to be used for the
following projects: Expansion of Family Center Services into Lakeview, Grove
City and West Middlesex ($20,000), Demolition ($15,000) and a Downtown
Revitalization Plan ($18,000) in Jamestown Borough, ADA Renovations to the
Clark Park and Borough Building ($49,300), ADA Renovations to Chestnut Street
and borough building in Wheatland ($40,800) Transportation and Recreation
Services for Low Moderate Income Persons involving Chestnut Run Swim Beach
($29,000), Housing Rehabilitation ($93,599) and ADA Renovations to the Mercer
County Courthouse ($50,000).
Current Status:
Clark
ADA Renovations completed; Wheatland ADA Renovations to municipal building
completed. Wheatland ADA curb cuts completed.
Jamestown Downtown Plan substantially completed; Housing
Rehabilitation-consultant procured. Public
service project of Literacy Council of Mercer County is ongoing. Public
service for MCRCOG - this year’s funding expended. Funds that were to be
used for
ADA
renovations to Mercer County Courthouse have been modified to satisfy
ADA
regulations at 6 municipalities throughout the county (Greene,
Jefferson
, Mill Creek and Otter Creek Townships; Fredonia and Jackson Center Boroughs).
These projects were completed in the first-half of 2006, with the exception of
the Mill Creek project, which will is expected to be completed in December,
2006 or January, 2007. Courthouse
ADA
improvements were paid with non-CDBG funds.
Who
to Contact?
For more information on the Mercer County
CDBG programs, please contact Carmen
Reichard or Matt Stewart at (724)
981-2412.
You may also contact your local elected
officials for more information.
Mercer
County Regional Planning Commission
2491 Highland Road, Hermitage, PA 16148
[email protected] www.mcrpc.com
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