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Communities may apply for multiple CDBG categories but can only be awarded up to two projects total, with no more than one from a major category. Major categories include: Community Facilities: Large/Small, Blueprint to Build, Water and Sewer Infrastructure, and Regional Water Implementation. For example, a city can submit applications for a Housing Rehabilitation and a Community Facilities: Large Grants project. However, a city cannot apply for both a Large and Small Community Facilities project.

The local government must hold two public hearings to demonstrate that reasonable efforts have been undertaken to ensure involvement of citizens or citizen organizations throughout all stages of the program. A notice about the hearing must be published in a local newspaper with the widest circulation, and it must appear at least 5 full days before the hearing—not counting the day it’s published or the day of the hearing itself. These hearings must be held at a time and location convenient to potential or actual beneficiaries, with accommodations for non-English speaking residents and persons with disabilities. A sample public hearing notice is included in program guidelines.

First Public Hearing: Must be held at least 15 days before the CDBG application is submitted, and no earlier than 120 days. The purpose of the hearing is to inform citizens about the proposed project, including its location, total cost, activities, and beneficiaries. Community members must be given a chance to suggest other project ideas and share their input, and the local governing body should carefully consider this feedback before submitting the application. The total project funding and CDBG amount requested must match what appears in the public hearing notice.

Second Public Hearing: Must be held at the conclusion of the project, prior to close out to inform citizens of the project’s successful or unsuccessful completion, and to obtain input on the grantee’s performance.

Yes, all CDBG-funded projects are federally required to have an environmental review. The Environmental Determination of Level of Review form must be submitted with the application. This will inform Commerce as to what level of environmental review you will undertake for your project if awarded.

Post-award, the city or county must conduct a full environmental review of the project, even for small projects that don’t require construction. This responsibility cannot be delegated and the cost to conduct the review must be paid with local funds. Project activities may not begin until after Commerce issues the environmental release of project funds.