Wednesday night, Price City Council held a special meeting to consider applications for projects under the Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Program for the Year 2013.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD. The CDBG program provides annual grants on a formula basis to 1209 general units of local government and States.
In the Small Cities CDBG program, states award grants to smaller units of general local government that carry out community development activities. Annually, each State develops funding priorities and criteria for selecting projects. There is approximately $400,000 in new funding available in the program for this year.
Victor Staley, HR Manager at the Housing Authority of Carbon County came before the Price City Council and submitted a request for $200,000 to repair and upgrade the low-income apartment units. Many of the repairs are designed to make the units more energy efficient.
The upgrades will hopefully save each tenant approximately $100 on Utility bills. Many turn to other agencies for help in paying those costs, so the upgrades should also reduce the strain on resources within the community.
Staley outlined the target areas as replacement of roofs, furnaces, water heaters, windows and hopefully doors. He would love to look at solar panels, but feels like they would be target for vandalism in the apartment complexes. He is considering trying them on the senior apartments at a later time.
The CDBG funding is a pass through grant to the City and will not affect any budget areas. If this proposal is accepted for consideration, then Staley will have to submit a finalized proposal and a second public meeting will be held.
В