NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND DISPLAY OF THE FY 2017 & FY 2018 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT
CITY OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA

The City of Morgantown will hold a public hearing on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019 at 1:30 p.m., prevailing time, at City Hall in City Council Chambers located at 389 Spruce Street, Morgantown, West Virginia. Morgantown City Hall and Council Chambers are accessible to persons with physical disabilities. If special arrangements need to be made to accommodate any resident in order for them to participate in the public hearing, including translation services, please call Mr. Christopher M. Fletcher, Director of Development Services, City of Morgantown, at 304-284-7431, to make those arrangements, or for persons who may have a hearing impediment, please contact 7-1-1 for the TTY/TTD relay.

The purpose of this public hearing is to present a Substantial Amendment to the City of Morgantown’s FY 2017 and FY 2018 Annual Action Plans for the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

The City of Morgantown adopted its FY 2017 Annual Action Plan and Budget for the use of CDBG funds on August 1, 2017 and FY 2018 Annual Action Plan and Budget for the use of CDBG funds on June 19, 2018. In accordance with CDBG program regulations, the City may make substantial amendments to its Annual Action Plan and Budget in accordance with the City’s Citizen Participation Plan.

The City has determined that it is necessary to amend the approved CDBG program budget for two (2) previously approved program years of FY 2017 and FY 2018. The funds will be reprogrammed from projects/activities that have been delayed, do not require all initially budgeted funds, and/or never materialized to proposed new or existing projects/activities.

This is considered a substantial amendment in accordance with the City’s Citizen Participation Plan as the following applies: the scope, purpose, and location of the project activity have changed, or an activity is deleted, or a new activity is proposed. The FY 2017 CDBG Annual Action Plan substantial amendment is available HERE. The 2018 CDBG Annual Action Plan substantial amendment is available HERE. Copies of the Substantial Amendment are on public display for viewing by the public for a period of 30 days beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019 and ending on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at the locations listed below:

Development Services Office

389 Spruce Street
Morgantown, WV 26505

Morgantown Public Library
373 Spruce Street
Morgantown, WV 26505

BOPARC Senior Center
287 Eureka Drive
Morgantown, WV 26505

BOPARC Office
799 E Brockway Ave.
Morgantown, WV 26505

All interested residents are encouraged to attend this public hearing and they will be given the opportunity to present oral or written testimony concerning the proposed amendment to the use of CDBG funds under the FY 2017 and FY 2018 Annual Action Plans. Written or oral comments may be directed to Mr. Christopher M. Fletcher, Director of Development Services, until Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at the City of Morgantown, 389 Spruce Street, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505 or via phone at 304-284-7431. Persons with hearing and/or speech impediments may contact the City via 711.

Responsibilities 

The Community Development Division is responsible for working with public agencies and local housing and social service providers to implement the City's federal Community Development Block Grant (C.D.B.G.) program goals and objectives to improve the quality of life for all residents.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is an entitlement program administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  CDBG is one of HUD’s the longest-running programs and funds local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development serving low-to-moderate income residents and in designated eligible areas or neighborhoods.

Who receives CDBG funds?
HUD considers communities with populations greater than 50,000 as entitlement communities. Entitlement communities receive a CDBG grant annually from HUD. HUD calculates the amount of CDBG grant funds for entitlement communities based on population size and the number of low-to-moderate income persons in the community. The City of Morgantown has received CDBG Entitlement Grant funds since entering the program in 2005. The entitlement amount changes each year, but is typically more than $300,000. 

Applicant agencies (subrecipients) are awarded funding on an annual competitive basis to implement activities meeting the eligible criteria as established by HUD and the Goals and Objectives as defined in the City’s Consolidated Plan. The CDBG program year is July 1 through June 30 each year; the same as the City’s fiscal year.