The City of Albany is asking for public input to determine how best to spend entitlement grants expected from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the next five years.
Albany’s Consolidated Plan serves as a complete application for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Programgrants awarded to the city, which will be effective from this June through May 2024.
The plan further serves as a complete review of how to spend U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmentgrants awarded to the city” (CDBG is justpart of the funding that’s considered).
Officials say comments from the public input session will help frame goals and priorities, focusing on how federal funds should be used in Albany.
Faye Andrews is director of housing and community development for the city. "Housing and Urban Development funds our programs here, and every five years they require that we give them a plan for how we're going to spend our funding, what the priorities are. And the priorities are in part given to the entire community. We ask for public input on where they think our spending should be spent."
Plan Objectives are: Decent Housing, Suitable Living Environments and Economic Opportunities.
Andrews bemoans the fact that HUD funding is half of what Albany received 15 years ago. She adds it is based on the city's population and poverty levels in the neighborhoods earmarked to receive money. "We have four different funding sources. OK, so it's a CDBG, funding is roughly $3.5 million. We get home funds that are $950,000. Grant funding to help homeless individuals or people at risk of being homeless; about $250,000, and about $550,000 for providing housing assistance to persons living with AIDS or HIV."
Andrews adds Albany must get a complete count of all residents during the 2020 census, to ensure enough funding to meet community needs.
Call the ACDA office 518-434-5265 for details about 30-day comment period to the draft plan.
As the Consolidation Plan's deadline rapidly approaches, Andrews says the agency continues to seek additional public input. "So it has to be submitted to HUD by mid-April. We have a draft of it will be ready for people to look at and review/comment on by the 14th of March, which is this Saturday."
Albany Common Councilor Judy Doesschate represents the 9th ward: "These programs are really meant for neighborhoods where there's a much higher level of poverty than there is generally in my ward. And I fully support, as trying to improve the quality of life for everybody through these kinds of programs."
Doesschate says she is anxious to see the final draft, which officials say will be available along with a program outline on the city website.
A spokesperson for Mayor Kathy Sheehan says a meeting to present the final draft of the Consolidated Plan will be held April 2nd. A 30-day public comment period starts March 14 and goes to April 14.
Paper surveys are available at Albany Public Libraries and at the Albany Community Development Agency's Henry Johnson Boulevard headquarters. A program outline is available on the city website.
Andrews notes the online survey contains four questions and should take about four minutes to complete. Here's the link!
