DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
The County receives about $2 million each year from HUD to operate a community development block grant (CDBG) program in its unincorporated area and in the fifteen following cities with populations of less than 50,000:
| Participating Cities | ||
| Duncanville | Combine | University Park |
| Cedar Hill | Coppell | Sachse |
| Glenn Heights | Cockrell Hill | Balch Springs |
| Seagoville | Hutchins | Wilmer |
| Farmers Branch | Lancaster | Highland Park |
The CDBG program was created by Congress in 1974 to assist neighborhoods. Its funding can be used for a wide variety of purposes as long as the projects either eradicate blight, principally benefit low/moderate income people, or eliminate a community-threatening condition.
About 65% of the County's funding is allocated to its participating cities using a formula that takes into account a city's population and the percentage of it that is low/moderate income. The cities typically use this funding for code enforcement and to reconstruct streets, renovate parks, and install new water/sewer lines.
20% of the County's CDBG funding is used to operate the program and to manage its various projects (at any time, the program is usually funding about twenty different projects or activities). The remaining 15% of the County's CDBG funding is used to operate a Home Loan Counseling Center which assists low/moderate income people who are interested in buying a home.
|
Dallas County is authorized to operate Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs as part of its urban county qualification under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Under this proposed use of funds; the County will receive $171,624 in FY2018, $183,232 in FY2019, and $667,003 in 2020 ESG CARES Act Phase I funds. The funds may be used for ESG eligible services within the County. The County proposes providing The Bridge with $98,900 of FY2018 ESG funding, $105,000 of FY2019 ESG funding, and $392,000 of CARES Act funding for shelter operating expenses. It also proposes providing Hope's New Door/New Beginning Center with $54,000 of FY2018 ESG funding, $59,000 in FY2019 funding, and $213,000 in CARES Act funding for rapid rehousing assistance. It is also proposed that the Family Place would be provided with $14,724 in FY2018 ESG funding, $15,232 in FY2019 funding, and $54,003 in CARES Act funding for rapid rehousing assistance. It is proposed that Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance would be provided with $4000 in FY2018 ESG funding, $4000 in FY2019 ESG funding and $8000 in CARES Act funding for the administration of the local housing management information system. Activities and amounts are a continuation of County ESG grant awards with the addition of ESG 2020 CARES Act Phase I awarded by HUD to help alleviate projected increase in homeless shelter and housing services demand due to the economic downturn caused by COVID-19. The proposed use of funds will enable the County to provide ESG eligible homeless services: unsheltered homeless (The Bridge); rapid rehousing for homeless victims of domestic violence (Hope’s Door/New Beginning Center and Family Place); and, HMIS fees required by ESG regulation through Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. The proposed activities will provide shelter services to approximately 2,600 persons and rapid rehousing services to approximately 90 persons over the next 2 years. A 7-day public comment period and public hearing are being held to solicit public review and comment on the proposed activities. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday August 18, 2020 at 9:30AM in the J. Allen Clemson Commissioners Courtroom, 411 Elm Street, First Floor, Dallas, Texas 75202. The 7-day public comment period will occur from Wednesday August 19th through Wednesday August 26, 2020. All comments and questions are to be submitted in writing to Jesse Madsen, Grant Administrator, Dallas County Planning & Development, 411 Elm Street, 3rd Floor, Dallas, Texas 75202; by phone 214-653-6368; or, email jesse.madsen@dallascounty.org. Requests for disability accommodations or non-English speaking services should be directed to Mr. Madsen and provided at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing. If these proposed activities are approved, funding would become available on September 1, 2020. |
By virtue of its participation in the CDBG program, the County also receives about $500,000 of HOME funding and $100,000 of Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding each year. The County's HOME funding is used to support both the Home Loan Counseling Center and the CDBG program's neighborhood improvement focus. The Counseling Center uses its HOME funding to provide closing cost and down-payment assistance to low/moderate-income homebuyers; for more information about the down-payment assistance program, please call (214) 819-6060.
The CDBG program uses its HOME funding to operate a replacement housing program which demolishes owner--occupied low/moderate-income homes that are too dilapidated to be economically repaired and replaces them with newly-constructed homes of about 1000 square feet. For more information about this program, please call Karen Wavada at (214) 653-7627.
The County’s ESG funds are used to provide assistance to homeless organizations. For more information about this funding, please call Rachel Brown at (214) 653-6359.
© 2023. Dallas County. All rights reserved.
