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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 79-03 ® L m ORDINANCE NO. ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE REPEALING SECTION 4 OF ORDINANCE 76-85 AND ENACTING A NEW SECTION 4; PROVIDING FOR A PLAN OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRO- GRAM; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT: Section 1. That Section 4 of Ordinance 76-85 is repealed, including "Exhibit A" to which such section refers and incor- porates by reference, and a new Section 4 in lieu thereof shall be enacted to read as follows: Section 4. The City of Beaumont has formulated the plan by which citizens may participate in the Community Development Program, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit "A-1. " Section 2 . That if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance or the application of same to a par- ticular set of persons or circumstances, should for any reason be held invalid, such invalidity shall in no wise affect the remaining portions of this ordinance, and to such end the various portions and provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable. Section 3. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. PASSEDDr BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the day of 1979. e Mayor - ® EXHIBIT. A-1 _ - .- THE, CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT - PROGRAM OF BEAUMONT; -TEXAS Prepared by Marcy Noll-Riechman, Planner- Community Development Block Grant Program Planning and Zoning Department City of Beaumont., Texas The preparation of this document was financed through a Community Development Block Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the provisions of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended 1977. _ JANUARY 1979 PREFACE The City of Beaumont has had two previous Citizen Participation plans for its Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) funded under. the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. The first plan, - Beaumont's Citizens Participation Approach for CDBG, was replaced by Citizen Participation Plan for the City of Beaumont, Texas Community Development Program when-it was adopted under Ordinance 76-85 on August 10, 1976. The Citizen Participation Plan presented here was prepared in response to new requirements and standards based on the Housing and Community 1 Development Act of 1977. Regulations require that more specific information be provided to citizens concerning how they will be involved in the planning, implementation and assessment of the Community Development Block Grant Program. The purpose of this plan is to provide a format and information to enable citizens to become more involved in all phases of the CDBG program. i SUMMARY OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN The City of Beaumont has prepared a Citizen Participation plan to inform city residents how they can become involved in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The basic philosophy. is that all interested Beaumont citizens, including minorities and low and moderate income persons, be able to participate throughout the program _ during.planning, implementing, and assessing phases. Citizens may-participate in several ways. First, _a. citizen may be appointed (by City Council) to the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) -for the CDBG program. This committee makes recommendations to City Council and _. the City. Manager and his staff concerning community development in Beaumont. New members are usually appointed in late spring or early summer. Second, citizens may become members of neighborhood associations that are organized in neighborhood strategy areas in Beaumont (areas where CDBG money has been allocated) . These associations make recommendations to the Citizen Advisory Committee concerning community development in their neighborhood and may also present their views to City Council and the City Manager and his staff. Residents and owners of property in neighborhood strategy areas are automatically members of the neighborhood association. Citizens outside tha area may join if they are interested. Citizens may also express their views and proposals individually or as groups with special interests. Any citizen can submit views or proposals to neighborhood associations, the Citizen Advisory Committee, the City Council, or to the City Manager and his staff. Written proposals will receive written responses from the CDBG staff. Complaints registered with city staff will also be answered. Citizens will be kept informed in several ways. First of all, public hearings will be held at various stages of the program especially during the planning phase. Notices will be in the paper 10 days prior to such hearings. CDBG staff will make available enough information to residents prior to such meetings to enable them to participate meaningfully. Copies of all key documents and information will be kept on file at City Hall for review by any t interested citizen. Copies of the citizen participation plan will also be available at the public library, neighborhood offices, and the senior center. A much more specific description of the process and any time requirements -- _ are discussed in the Citizen Participation Plan. Citizens with:questions--ma refer-to it or contact a'member of the CDBG staff.'at City .-Hall or -neighborhood office. iii - TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .'. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i Summary of Citizen Participation Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .ii I. Purpose of the Citizen Participation Plan . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .1 H. Standards of Participation • . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .:,I III. Scope of Participation .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .2 IV. Process of Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-12 Communitywide participants. . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..::. . . . . . ...3 Neighborhood level participants . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . ... . . . .6 - Citizen participation process timetable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . ... .10 - V. Procedure. for Submission of Views and Proposals by Citizen&_ ...... ..13 VI. Complaints Procedure . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13-14 VII. Consideration of Objections to Application Submitted to HUD . . . . . .14-15 VIII. Technical Assistance to be Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . .15 IX. Description of Adequate Information . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-16-17 X. ' Public Hearings Requirements . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .17-18 XI. Citizen Participation Procedure for Contingency and Local Option Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .18-19 XII. Citizen Participation Procedure for Program Amendments . . . . . . . . . . .:.19 XIII. Procedure for Amending Citizen Participation Plan . . . . . . . . . .. . • • • . . ..19 XIV. Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 XV. Ordinance (to be attached) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. XVI. Additional Meetings Schedules (to be attached as needed.) . . . . . . . . . • • • . IV CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS Purpose of the Citizen Participation Plan (C. P. Plan) . In response to regulations issued March 1, 1978 by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); the City of Beaumont has prepared a written citizen participation plan for its Community Development Block Y Grant .(CDBG) program. This_plan was approved by the Community Development Citizen Advisory Committee on November 29,-1978, and adopted by the' Beaumont City Council on January 16, 1979. The major purpose of the-citizen participation plan presented here is to provide citizens and city officials alike with knowledge of the process in which citizens may become involved in planning, implementation, and assessment of the community development block grant program. The provisions of the plan apply to all ongoing CDBG activities at the time of Plan adoption as well as all future CDBG activities. The plan will remain in effect until all activities are completed or a new plan is adopted. Nothing in the Citizen Participation Plan should be construed as restricting the authority of the City in development or execution of the CDBG program nor its responsibility to do so. Standards of Participation In accordance with HUD regulations, the following standards will apply to the Beaumont Citizen Participation Plan. 1. All aspects of citizen participation will be conducted in an open manner, with access for all interested persons. 2. There will be involvement of low-and moderate income persons, members of minority groups, residents of areas where a significant amount of activity is proposed or ongoing, the elderly, the handicapped, the business community, and civic groups who are concerned about the program. -1- 3. The City will make reasonable efforts to ensure that citizens or citizens organization are continually involved throughout all stages of the CDBG program. 4. Citizens will be provided adequate and timely information, to enable them to be meaningfully involved in important decisions at various stages of the CDBG program. S. All citizens,--- especially low and moderate income persons and residents �of blighted neighborhoods, will be encouraged to submit their views and proposals concerning the CDBG program. b. The -City will provide for, in this citizen participation plan, a process for citizen participation at the communitywide level - - and. at the neighborhood level in areas where significant CDBG activity is proposed or ongoing. Scope of Participation Citizens will be involved in all stages of the CDBG program. As per regulations issued by.HUD, citizens will specifically participate in the following areas: ` 1. Citizen participation plan development. 2. - Application development - planning activities including: the three year CDBG plan identifying needs and setting priorities, the Housing Assistance Plan (HAP), the annual CDBG program application, and any related amendments or changes to the above. 3. Program implementation- at a minimum, citizens will participate in an advisory role to Council and City staff in policy decisions. re garding program implementation. Self-help activities and program operations conducted by neighborhood organizations will be encouraged as well. 4. Assessment of performance - Citizens and citizen organizations will be given an opportunity to assess and submit comments-.on all aspects of the `ty's CDBG performance includir the performance of the City's grantees and contractors. They also will be requested to assess whether objectives of the program have been achieved, through the activities and projects carried out. Comments from citizens and the City's responses to them must be included in the j city's annual CDBG Performance Report. Process of Participation _ -- As a city with a population of 50,000 or more, Beaumont must establish a -process-of citizen participation at the communitywide level and at the - neighborhood level in CDBG neighborhood strategy areas. This process and the -participants involved will be described in this section. 1 Communitywide Participants _-a.. Community Development Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) The communitywide citizen participation process will be structured around the existing Citizen Advisory Committee. Currently, the Advisory Committee has 25 members, appointed to 2 to 3 year terms. The Mayor and members of Council each appoint five (S) persons. To ensure that there is "substantial" representation of low and�:moderate income citizens and members of minority groups on the committee, the Mayor and Council will consider income and minority status when choosing subsequent members. The elderly, the handicapped, the business community, and civic groups who are concerned about the program are also groups that will be considered when choosing members of the Advisory Committee. In addition to the 25 members appointed by the Mayor and Council, there will be a representative/liaison from each of the neighborhood strategy area�;associations on the Advisory Committee. Representatives will be voting members and selected by their associations. The Beaumont City Council will select one-of their own members to act as non-voting liaison to the Advisory Committee. The CDBG Coordinator or his/her designee will serve as non-voting secretary of the Committee, recording and preparing m tes 'of all meetings. . Minutes a previous meeting will be available at the next meeting for approval by the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will select a chairman and vice-chairman and 3 other members to serve as a 5 member Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will meet with CDBG staff prior to formal hearings and help disseminate information to other Advisory Committee members. The Advisory Committee may delegate decision making authority to the Executive - Committee if it so desires. If necessary, subcommittees or task forces may be established by-the Advisory Committee to study specific issues or plans and -advise the Committee. The subcommittee chairman will be elected by the Advisory Committee and members (4 to 6) appointed by the Advisory Committee chairman, Duties and responsibilities of the Advisory Committee will?-be. as follows: 1. To act as an advisory board to the City Council and City Manager. 2. To recommend objectives to the city for the Community Development Block Grant program. 3. To assist the City Council and City Manager's staff in planning for a continuing program of community development. 4. To meet as required by the chairman of the committee or the secretary with regular public meetings to be held not less than once every calendar uaq rter. S. To keep the City Council and the City Manager's staff informed of current trends and to recommend changes and improvements which will update the community development and housing assistance plans. 6. To consider proposals and recommendations made by neighborhood strategy area associations in regard to programs for their neighborhoods before making final recommendations for the community as a whole, 7 To study the needs of the Cit) id make recommendations to the City Council for its physical development. b. City Council The City Council- is the final decision-making authority for the community development program. The City Council is advised by the Advisory Committee, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the City Manager and his CDBG staff concerning the CDBG program. All Council meetings are open public hearings. c: Loan Advisory Board The Loan Advisory Board is an entity peculiar to the Rehabilitation Loan Program. It has 5 professional members who are appointed by the City - Council -for 2 year terms. One member is chosen from each of the following areas: 1) Welfare Department, 2) Board of Realtors, 3) a local bank, 4) a local insurance company, and 5) the Social Security Administration. Council also appoints consumers to the Board as the Rehab Loan Program Handbook and Ordinance dictate. This board will be responsible for making determination on all rehabilitation loans. Advisory Board meetings will be held as the caseload dictates. Due to the confi- dential nature of the information disclosed at these meetings, the board meetings will not be open to the public, however, weekly, quarterly, and annual status reports will be available to the public. Status reports will be submitted to the Citizen Advisory Comr-u ttee quarterly. d. Planning and -Zoning Commission The Planning and Zoning Commission is also a lay advisory body to the City Council. In relation to the CDBG program, the primary responsibility of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to insure that the necessary zoning is provided to protect the investment of the CDBG program funds. The commission holds public hearings with regard to these matters. e. Residents of the Community All citizens in Beaumont may be a part of the citizen participation process. Any interested persons may come to any public hearing and may submit -5- views and proposals for consideration- by the City Council, the CAC and the City Manager and his staff. Public hearings, outside the guise of an organized group, will be held in various locations of the City to receive citizen view- points before the formal CDBG application is .submitted to HUD. Residents will be informed of hearings through special notices, letters to interested groups, and radio and television announcements and encouraged to contact members of the CAC to explain -their views fully. . = 2.-- .Neighborhood Level Participants. a. Neighborhood Associations. The primary neighborhood level participant in the neighborhood strategy -area -Will- be-neighbor-hood associations. The CDBG program staff will initiate the organization of such neighborhood associations. This will be done by holding ' at least two structured meetings within a neighborhood prior to the implementation of any part of the CDBG program in the area. The objective of the first meeting will be to organize the association and establish a representative committee. Anyone who lives in the area or owns commercial or ressidential property is automatically a member of the association.' Persons outside the area who are simply interested in the neighborhood can also be members. Members present at the first meeting will select a representative committee and a representative/liaison to the Advisory Committee. A basic over- view of the CDBG program will be given and copies of pertinent information pro- vided. Specifically, the role of the association and how it fits into the entire CDBG program process will be discussed. Later meetings will be held to answer additional questions and provide information concerning the entire CDBG program. Once the first two or three meetings are held, the CDBG staff will not be responsible for organizing future association meetings. This responsibility will. fall to the association itself. CDBG staff will be available to attend future meetings at the request of the association. CDBG staff will request to be place on the association's agenda if.necessary: CDBG staff will meet with the representative committees 'of the individual associations on a quarterly basis. These quarterly meetings will offer the committee members a chance to discuss specific. neighborhood problems, comment_on how effective the CDBG program is. and offer suggestions as to how the program might be improved or how the neighborhoods' priorities have changed. The CDBG staff will keep each committee informed on the status of the program and discuss any problems the staff has encountered in program implementation. Responsibilities of the neighborhood .associations will-be: 1. To act-as an advisory board to the Citizens Advisory Committee. 2. To recommend objectives to the city for the CDBG program in their neighborhood. 3. To meet as required by the chairman of the association with meetings held as he or she deems necessary. 4. To keep the Citizen's Advisory Committee, City Council and the City Manager's staff informed of current trends and to recommend changes and improvements which will update the neighborhood plan. 5. If a neighborhood association disagrees with final recommendations made by the Citizen's Advisory Committee, members of the association may present their own recommenda- tions -to City..Council b. Neighborhood Residents Residents of neighborhood strategy areas may also become involved in the CDBG program outside the confines -of structured meetings through self-help projects for their neighborhoods that do not necessarily require CDBG funds but supplement formal CDBG activities in the area. Self-help projects will be encouraged by the City and the Advisory Committee. Residents of neighborhoods that are not strategy areas may become -7- involved in citizen participation through public hearings, organization of neighborhood associations to represent them, and self-help projects for their neighborhood. As is true for any citizen in Beaumont, any individual resident of any neighborhood may submit views or proposals concerning the CDBG program to the City for consideration. 3. Citizen Participation Process Timetable. The City participation process is based on the CDBG program timetable. The Beaumont CDBG program year runs from July 13th to the next Jilly. l2th. A schedule of main CDBG events and times when. citizens will be participating in the next couple of years follows. The CDBG staff will be responsible for pre- paring a more definite citizen participation schedule every 3 to 6 months for distributioii to _the CAC and the neighborhood associations, and later, for subsequent program years. These schedules will be attached.as part of this plan as they become available. Briefly, the major participants will interact as follows: The Community Development Citizen Advisory Committee will continue to function as the community's advisory body to Council and City staff concerning CDBG matters. The Advisory Committee will consider neighborhood associations' , and citizens' recommendations and proposals when advising City Council and staff. Public meetings will be held at least 4 times a year to discuss program planning, implementation, and assessment. Planning will be done from January to March, assessment from November through December and implementation continuously all year long. The Advisory Committee and all citizens will rely on CDBG staff to provide accurate and timely or "adequate information" throughout the CDBG program. Neighborhood strategy area associations will be organized and representa= tive committees elected. Hearings in the neighborhoods and meetings with-the Committees and CDBG staff will be held during the planning, implementation,-:.and assessment phases of the CDBG program. Neighborhood associations and all City -8- residents may recommendations, ,complaints, and statements at appropriate times to CDBG staff, the CAC, and to City Council concerning the CDBG program. -9- CITIZEN PARTICIPATION SCHEDULE 1978 Staff meets with CAC chairman and vice chairman Wednesday November 1st . Release draft of C. P. Plan to CAC and other Monday November 20th interested parties (existing neighborhood association committees) . CAC special meeting to review and approve Wednesday November 29th C. P. Plan and to review status reports, public hearing, notice published. C. P. Plan sent to Legal Department. Friday December 1st - CAC quarterly meeting-formal public hearing Wednesday December 13th to review performance and progress of CDBG program. Solicit comments in notices prior to meeting. _ 1979.. - C. P. Plan sent to Council Workshop Early January - Performance hearings in neighborhood CT 17 Early January (nothing done anywhere else) Neighborhood Associations organized, Early January quarterly meetings with committees thereafter. - Special presubmission hearing CAC. February_ 14th - Final C. P. Plan ordinance passed by Council ?did January - Presubmission hearings in neighborhoods. Mid January - Planning and preparing application .for FY 79. January - February - Presubmission hearing on final draft of End of February application in each neighborhood. - CAC presubmission hearing and approval of Early March application - quarterly meeting. - Council approval of application hearing. Early March - SUBMIT PERFORMANCE REPORT (FY 78) TO HUD MARCH 12, LATEST DATE -10- CITIZEN PARTICIPATION SCHEDULE CONT'D PAGE 2 1979 - SUBMIT CDBG APPLICATION (FY 79) FOR A -95 REVIEW. MARCH 14, LATEST DATE - Quarterly meetings with neighborhood April association committees. - SUBMIT CDBG APPLICATION (FY 79) TO HUD. APRIL" 28TH, LATEST DATE - CAC quarterly meeting. June - Notification of HUD approval. June-'12th - `July 12th - - -Environmental review record distributed June 12th - -July 31st _ and notices published. Quarterly meetings with neighborhood July association Committees. - -- - RELEASE OF FUNDS, PROGRAMS CAN BEGIN (FY 79) . JULY 13TH - AUGUST 1ST CAC quarterly meeting - program implementation. September - Quarterly meetings with neighborhood October association committees, program implementation. November - December - Neighborhood hearings on performance. - CAC quarterly meeting, program implementation, December performance. ' 1980 - Quarterly meetings with neighborhood January association committee - Pre-submission hearings in neighborhoods. January - Special pre-submission hearing CAC: - Planning and preparing application for FY 80. January - February - Pre-submission hearing on final draft of February application in each neighborhood. - Pre-submission hearing and CAC approval February of application at quarterly meeting. - Council approval of application hearing. Early March - SUBMIT PERFORMANCE REPORT (FY 79) TO HUD. MARCH 12TH, LATEST DATE - SUBMIT CDBG APPLICATION (FY 80) FOR A-95 REVIEW MARCH 14TH, LATEST DATE -11- CITIZEN PARTICIPATION SCHEDULE CONT'D PAGE 3 1980 - Quarterly meetings with neighborhood April association committees. - SUBMIT CDBG APPLICATION (FY 80) TO HUD. APRIL 28TH LATEST DATE - Notification of HUD approval. June 12th - July 12th - CAC quarterly meeting. - June Environmental review record distributed _. June 12th - July 31st association committees.- Quarterly meetings with neighborhood July association committees. RELEASE OF FUNDS, PROGRAMS CAN BEGIN (FY 80) JULY 13TH - AUGUST 31ST - CAC quarterly meeting - program implementation. September - Quarterly meetings with neighborhood association October committees program implementation. - Neighborhood hearings on performance. November - December - CAC quarterly meeting - program implementation. December 1981 Quarterly meetings with neighborhood January, April, July, $ association continue as needed. October - Quarterly meetings of CAC continue. March, June, September, December. - SUBMIT PERFORMANCE REPORT (FY 80) . MARCH 12TH LATEST DATE - Submission of CDBG application for FY 81 and beyond dependent on congressional action. Notes: All public hearings will be advertized in the non-legal section of the Beaumont Enterprise-Journal 10 days prior to the hearing. Neighborhood associations will be responsible for scheduling additional meetings throughout the program year as they see fit. Special meetings of the CAC and the neighborhood committees and/or associations will be held throughout the year as situations warrant and as dictated in this plan. -12- Procedure for Submission of Views and Proposals by Citizens All citizens in Beaumont may submit to the City, views and proposals concerning the CDBG program. Views and proposals may be submitted: 1. Directly to the city during the planning period (January - March) at public hearings on the CDBG application. 2. To recognized neighborhood association committees and the Citizen - - Advisory Committee. -3. At neighborhood and other meetings if scheduled by the city prior to formal public hearings. 4. At formal public hearings. These views and proposals will be reviewed and .considered by the City and reasonable effort made to provide responses within fifteen (15) working days. Written responses will be provided for written proposals and will state the reasons for action taken on the proposal by the city. Whenever possible responses will be provided prior to the final hearing on the CDBG application. The deadline for submission of views and proposals in regard to planning for the next fiscal year and performance during the previous year is March 1. Views and proposals concerning day to day program implemen- tation will be accepted anytime. Submission of views and proposals will be encouraged through publicity about meetings and through public service announcements- concerning the CDBG program. All information distributed about the CDBG program will include a byline reguesting submission of views and proposals by citizens. The information will be made available to low and moderate income persons, minorities, and residents of blighted areas through neighborhood associations, special notices, and radio and television publicity. Citizen views or proposals pertinent to performance will be included in the annual Performance Report. Compliants- Procedure Citizens who have complaints about the CDBG program should register their -13- complaint directly to the City CDBG staff either during working hours or at neighborhood meetings and public hearings. Complaints should be in written form if at all possible. The city will make every reasonable effort to provide written responses to all complaints within fifteen (15) working days. If a citizen does not feel that his or her complaint has been answered adequately or a satisfactory solution found, he or she should come before the CAC and present their case. Decisions made by CAC will be final. Individual activities or programs under the CDBG program may require a separate and more specific complaints procedure that will replace the process described here. This is particularly true of the rehabilitation loan--program where a complaints procedure is outlined on page 24 of the Rehabilitation Loan Program Handbook. If other activities require a special complaints procedure it. will be described in a handbook made available to citizens. Otherwise, the procedure described above should be followed. Consideration of Objections to Application Submitted to HUD Anyone wishing to object to approval of the Beaumont CDBG application by HUD may do so through the HUD Area Office in Dallas. (Address: Mr. Leo Garrett, Director - Community Planning and Development.Division - Department of Housing and Urban Development Area Office - 2001' Bryan Tower Fourth Floor- Dallas, Texas 75201) . HUD will only consider objections made on the following grounds: 1. The City's description of needs and objectives is plainly inconsistent with available facts and data. 2. The activities to be undertaken are plainly inappropriate to meet the needs and objectives identified by the City. 3. The application does not comply with the requirements of the CDBG program or other applicable law. 4. The application proposes activities which are otherwise ineligible under the CDBG program regulations. -14- . Such objections should include which requirements were not met and the data and facts which the objectors rely on. HUD will consider objections submitted at any time but to insure the objection is considered during the application review process, objections should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of the notice stating Beaumont has submitted its CDBG application to HUD. HUD will not approve a CDBG_application until at least 45 days after receipt of the application to insure enough time to .consider objections. _ -. .. - Technical Assistance to be Available City staff will assist the CD Advisory Committee and neighborhood strategy - area associations in their endeavors related to planning, implementation, and assessment of the CDBG program by providing accurate and timely or "adequate information" routinely, and advice upon request. City staff will also provide information and advice or referrals.to groups of low and moderate income persons and groups of residents of blighted neighborhoods who request assistance in developing proposals and statements of views if possible. This aspect of the CDBG program will be expanded upon if additional staff is hired. City staff will assist neighborhood strategy areas in organizing initial neighborhood associations. Neighborhood organizations will be responsible for maintaining their own schedule of meetings and activities outside of those provided for in the C. P. Plan. City staff will refer neighborhood groups to appropriate public or private entities if the group is interested in assistance in organizing an association or carrying out CDBG activities. Description of Adequate Information Citizens in Beaumont will be provided with full access to CDBG program information and "special efforts" will be made to inform low and moderate income persons and residents of blighted neighborhoods. These "special efforts" will consist of placing notices where these persons will see them, informing neighbor- -15- hood associations in these particular areas, holding public hearing in the neighborhoods, and putting publicity in local newspapers and on local television and radio. Specific information to be made available to citizens is outlined in the following- paragraphs. As soon as CDBG staff begins planning for the upcoming funding year (January) citizens will be provided with the following information: 1. The amount of CDBG funds available for all activities. 2. Eligible activities that may be undertaken and what has been done with past funds. 3. Processes for preparing and approving the CDBG application and schedule of meetings. 4. The role of citizens as described in the C. P. Plan. 5. Summary of any other requirements. The CDBG staff will always keep on file, at their main office, copies of the following key documents for citizens to review: 1. All mailing and promotional materials pertaining to CDBG. 2. Records of hearings pertaining to CDBG. 3. Prior applications, letters of approval, grant agreements, citizen participation plan, performance reports, evaluation reports, other HUD required reports, (ie. Environmental Review Record) and proposed and approved applications for the current year. 4. Copies of regulations and issuances governing the program. S. Documents regarding other program requirements, such as contracting . procedures, environmental policies, fair housing and other equal opportunity requirements, relocation provisions, and the A-95 review process. 6. Status reports of all activities. 7. Other pertinent information. -16- When the CDBG application is submitted to HUD after being reviewed by the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission (SETRPC) and State Office of Budget and Management (or A-95 "clearinghouse" review), the City will publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation (Beaumont Enterprise- Journal) stating that the application has been submitted and is available to interested parties upon request and also describing the requirements on citizen objections to applications contained on page 14. The CDBG staff will make copies of the citizen participation plan, the - proposed and approved application, and the annual performance report available at locations convenient for persons affected by the program and accessible to the handicapped. Probable locations will include but not be limited to field offices established in or near neighborhood strategy areas, the home of a member (secretary) of the representative committee of each of the neighborhood associations, any community center established with CDBG funds including the multi-purpose senior center, the public library -or any other location that is convenient to persons affected. by the CDBG program. Public Hearings Requirements Public Hearings will be held throughout the various stages of the CDBG program under various formats,, For example, any item that requires City Council approval (including the CDBG application and Budget) will be discussed at a "public hearing" or open city council meeting. The Citizen Advisory Committee will meet at a minimum, 4 times per year in open public session. Neighborhood association meetings will be open to anyone and CDBG staff meetings with neighborhood association committee members, held at least 4 times per year, will also be open to the public. In addition to hearings mentioned above, there will be public hearings in neighborhood strategy areas in the City to give citizens a voice in the prepara- tion of the CDBG application prior to submission of the application, and in order to review CDBG progress and performance during the prior year. -17- Public hearings Td by the City concerning the .G program must meet the following guidelines: 1. The City will hold two kinds of public hearings prior to submission of the CDBG application (presubmission hearfngs) . a. To obtain views and proposals of citizens at the initial stage of application development on Community Development and housing needs and priorities and to obtain comments on the City's CDBG performance. b. To obtain views of citizens on the proposed_application prior - to submission of the application to A-95 clearinghouse -(SETRPC and State Office of Budget and Management) . 2. The City CDBG staff will hold an additional public hearing or hearings 30 to 60 days prior to the start of planning for. the next program year to review program progress and performance (performance hearings) . 3. Notice for public hearings will be published 10 days prior to each public hearing in the non-legal, easily readable section of newspapers of general circulation (Beaumont Enterprise-Journal) including minority and non-English"papers if they exist. Notice must indicate the date, time, place, precedures of hearing and topics to be considered. Reasonable effort will be made to provide notices to newspapers and periodicals serving low-moderate income neighborhoods. The City will also use public service radio and television announcements to widely publicize the hearings. Bilingual Requirements. When a significant number (more than 20%) of residents in an area speak and read a primary language other than English all notices and summaries will also be produce in that language and an interpreter provided at public hearings. Citizen Participation Procedure for Contingency and Local Option Activities If the City sets aside funds in its application for contingencies and/or -18- local option activities or identifies activities in the application that could replace any activities disapproved by-HUD, citizens will be involved in selection of such activities. Recommendations will be requested from the neighborhood associations in the areas where the activity is planned and also from the Advisory Committee. These recommendations will be considered by the City before selecting an activity. Program Amendments If any amendment to the CDBG program is proposed (except for disaster activities) citizens will participate in the decision. For amendments that require prior HUD approval (listed under 9 570.312 of March 1, 1978 Federal Register) formal public hearings will be held. For all amendments, whether requiring HUD approval or not, recommendations will be requested from:the neighborhood association in the area where the amendment will have an effect and also from the Advisory Committee. These recommendations will be considered by the City before deciding whether to adopt the amendment or not. Procedure for Amending the Citizen Participation Plan If it becomes apparent, to either the CDBG staff, the City Council, the Advisory Commitee, or any-citizen or citizen's group that there should be changes or additions to the Citizen Participation Plan, such amendment(s) will proceed through the citizen participation process. Recommendations will be requested from neighborhood associations concerning the changes and also. from the Advisory Committee, and at least one formal public hearing will be held. These recommendations will be considered before City Council decides whether or not to amend the Citizen Participation Plan Ordinance. -19- SOURCES Citizen Participation Plan for the City of Beaumont, Texas, Community Development Program, 1976. City of Beaumont, Fletcher Neighborhood Strategy Area - Background Information and Composite Plan, 1978. City of Beaumont, Rehabilitation Loan Program Handbook, 1978 Federal Register, Vol. 43, No. 41, Wednesday, March 1, 1978, Part IV; CDBG Program - Entitlement Grants, -Section 570.303 - Citizen Partici- pation Requirements, page 8462. Memorandum from: Leo Garrett, Director of Community Planning and Development. Division, HUD Dallas Area'Office; To: CDBG Recipients, Re: Citizen Participation Requirements, August 2, 1978. Memorandum from: Leo Garrett, Director of Community Planning and Development Division, HUD, Dallas Area Office; To: CDBG Recipients, Re: Citizen Participation Requirements, August 22, 1978. -20-