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Motion expressing the Sense of Council of Allegheny County, calling upon the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development to re-open the application period for the Year 31 Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), funded by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, to allow opportunity for agencies assisting in disaster relief efforts to apply for funding; and, further, requesting that such agencies receive priority in funding decisions for the Year 31 Program as a means to alleviate the social-economic problems now facing our County.
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WHEREAS, Title I of the Housing & Community Development Act of 1974 establishes the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) for the stated purposes of, among other things, to address decent housing, suitable living environment, and economic opportunities for persons of low and moderate income; and
WHEREAS, the nature of the CDBG Entitlement Communities Program is to allow counties to develop their own programs and funding priorities and, when appropriate, to certify that the activities meet other community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community where other financial resources are not available to meet such needs; and
WHEREAS, on September 17, 2004, Allegheny County experienced adverse weather conditions from Tropical Storm Ivan which resulted in widespread flooding and damage to over eighty municipalities within the County; damaging homes and property and destroying many of the County's businesses; and although the County, State, and Federal governments declared an emergency for Allegheny County, disaster aid is limited in its application and use, leaving many with very little options and sources for assistance to repair their homes, replace their belongings, or rejuvenate or resurrect their businesses; and
WHEREAS, believing that the future welfare of the County's citizens depends upon the establishment and maintenance of these communities as social, economic, and political entities, a finding directly in line with the purpose of the Housing & Community Development Act and the Community Development Block Grant Program, Allegheny County Council certifies that activities aimed at meeting disaster relief through community development have a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community and other financial resources are not available to meet such needs.
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, AND IT IS THE SENSE OF THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, that this Body calls upon the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development to re-open the application period for the Year 31 Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), funded by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, to allow opportunity for agencies assisting in disaster relief efforts to apply for funding; and, further, requests that such agencies receive priority in funding decisions for the Year 31 Program as a means to alleviate the social-economic problems now facing our County.