CLEARFIELD – Clearfield Borough Council held the first of two public hearings for the Federal Fiscal Year 2013 Community Development Block Grant program. Thursday night’s hearing was to review the program and to provide the general public an opportunity to participate in the needs development and evaluation process.
The goals of the CDBG funding are:
- To assist communities in preparing Community Development Plans designed to address significant needs of the low and moderate income residents.
- To assist communities in administering community development projects designed to address significant community development needs identified in the Community Development Plan.
- To encourage and assist communities to focus on housing and community facility problems and to pursue economic development and commercial revitalization activities through public/private investment initiatives that will result in jobs growth and development in the commonwealth.
CDBG funds may be used for such activities as improvements to sewer or water lines, street improvements, rehabilitation of deteriorating housing, clearance and demolition activities, public service activities, as well as general administrative, environmental review and engineering costs.
Program administration costs are limited to up to 18 percent of the funding. At least 70 percent of the project funds awarded to Clearfield Borough must be used to benefit low to moderate income persons. Funding from 2010, 2011 and 2012 was used for improvements to Daisy and Dorey streets and to Kurtz Park in East End.
The 2012 CDBG funds allocation for Clearfield Borough was $96,525. Funding amounts for 2013 have yet to be released by the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development.
The borough will provide technical assistance to groups of low to moderate income persons in developing proposals for use of CDBG funds. Leslie Stott, borough operations manager, is the contact person for the CDBG program. She can be contacted at the Clearfield Borough office during normal business hours at 814-765-7817.
The application deadline has not been announced by the DCED. A summary of the application will be published and a second hearing will be held to review projects proposed for the 2013 funding before the application is submitted.