CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the amendment to the City of Naperville's Community Development Block Grant Citizen Participation Plan as directed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
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DEPARTMENT: City Clerk's Office
SUBMITTED BY: Ruth Broder, Community Grants Coordinator
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires all jurisdictions receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to adopt a Citizen Participation Plan. Naperville's current plan was adopted in 2013. On March 31, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, HUD issued a memorandum directing municipalities to amend their current Citizen Participation Plan to incorporate flexibilities, suspensions, and waivers granted in response to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
DISCUSSION:
The memorandum from HUD, titled "Availability of Waivers of Community Planning and Development (CPD) Grant Program and Consolidated Plan Requirements to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 and Mitigate Economic Impacts Caused by COVID-19," includes the following citizen participation requirements:
Public Hearings
* Public hearings may take place virtually if public gatherings are limited for public health reasons, provided that local officials provide timely responses to citizen questions and issues and public access to questions and responses; and
* Grantees may determine what constitutes reasonable notice and opportunity to comment.
Public Comment Period
* Reduces the required notice and public comment period for Consolidated Plans (30 days), Substantial Amendments to Consolidated Plans (30 days), and Citizen Participation Plan Amendments (15 days) to a minimum of five days; and
* Permits the five-day public comment period for plans and plan amendments to run concurrently with the public comment period for Citizen Participation Plan amen...
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