Section 714.01 Cuyahoga Community Development Block Grant Program

A. Program Established
There is hereby created the Cuyahoga County Community Development Block Grant program consistent with all requirements set forth by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) under applicable federal law and regulations, including but not limited to the regulations codified in Title 24 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §570.

B. Program Administration
The Cuyahoga County Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) program shall be administered by the Cuyahoga County Executive through the Cuyahoga County Department of Development.

C. Funding Source
The CDBG program shall be funded through entitlement funds allocated to Cuyahoga County each fiscal year by HUD, as determined by the Director of Development, consistent with the cooperation agreements between Cuyahoga County and each Urban County member community.

D. Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to receive CDBG funding for an eligible activity through the Municipal Grant Program, a local community shall meet the following criteria and all other requirements of applicable federal law and regulations including in Title 24 CFR §570:

1. The community must be a signatory to the Cuyahoga County Urban County Cooperation Agreement pursuant to 24 CFR §570.503(a); and
2. The community must be able to document appropriate activities to affirmatively further fair housing choice; and
3. The community must document its compliance with citizen participation requirements as set forth in Cuyahoga County’s Community Development Block Grant Citizen Participation Plan pursuant to 24 CFR §570.302; and
4. The proposed activity must meet one of the three national objectives that benefit low-and moderate-income persons, aid in the prevention of elimination of slums and blight, or meet other community development needs of an urgent nature that present a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community. These initiatives include but are not limited to the following HUD eligible activities:
   a. community master plans,
   b. housing and commercial demolition,
   c. infrastructure,
   d. public safety,
   e. streetscapes,
   f. parks and playgrounds, or
   g. community and senior centers.
5. The community must be in compliance with any existing contract for CDBG funds as determined by the Department of Development.
6. For eligible activities which serve a defined area within a local community, the defined area must meet HUD’s requirements which may include a location in an Improvement Target Area defined by Cuyahoga County, location in an area which meets Improvement Target Area guidelines as documented by the local community, or a location in and service to an area with a certain percentage of households having incomes at or below a certain level according to HUD-approved survey data; and
7. The Department of Development shall issue written requirements for each year’s application format, contents, and required attachments; and
8. The Department of Development shall establish and notify local communities of each year’s application deadline and other requirements regarding the application deadline.

E. Evaluation Criteria
The Department of Development shall administer an evaluation process in which all timely submitted and properly completed applications for CDBG funding eligible activities shall be scored using an objective numerical rating system. The Department of Development may invite knowledgeable officials of other County departments and non-Urban County local communities to serve on a rating and ranking committee for this evaluation.

(Ordinance Nos. O2015-0003, Enacted 6/28/2016, Effective 7/1/2016; O2014-0006, Enacted 11/12/2014, Effective 11/13/2014)

Section 714.02 County Community Development Supplemental Grant Program

A. Program Established
There is hereby created the Cuyahoga County Community Supplemental Block Grant program to be administered in conjunction with and using the same grant process as the County Community Development Block Grant Program.

B. Program Administration
The Cuyahoga County Community Development Supplemental Grant (“CDSG”) program shall be administered by the Cuyahoga County Executive through the Cuyahoga County Department of Development.

C. Funding Source
The CDSG program shall be funded through the Community Development Fund as established in Chapter 709 of the County Code. Not less than one million, five-hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000.00) of the funds transferred into the Community Development Fund annually, shall be used to fund the Cuyahoga County Community Development Supplemental Grant program. An amount not to exceed three percent (3%) of the funds budgeted for the CDSG program may be used to pay costs to administer the program.

D. Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to receive CDSG funds through the Municipal Grant Program, applicants shall meet the following criteria:

1. All applicants must be municipal corporations, townships, or not-for-profit community development corporations tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code located within Cuyahoga County. To be eligible to apply, a not-for-profit community development corporation must be incorporated for not less than two years prior to the application deadline set by the Department of Development; provided, however, that community development corporations in existence on or before the original effective date of this provision shall be eligible to apply; and
2. The applicant must be able to document appropriate activities to affirmatively further fair housing choice; and
3. The applicant must document its compliance with citizen participation requirements as set forth either in Cuyahoga County’s Community Development Block Grant Citizen Participation Plan or in a citizen participation plan prepared by an entitlement community pursuant to 24 CFR §570.302; and
4. All application projects must meet a community development need related to the health or welfare of the community. These initiatives include but are not limited to the following eligible activities:
   a. community master plans,
   b. housing and commercial demolition,
   c. infrastructure,
   d. public safety,
   e. streetscapes,
   f. parks and playgrounds, or
   g. community and senior centers
5. The applicant must be in compliance with all existing contracts for CDBG and CDSG funds previously allocated pursuant to this Chapter by the date of the current application deadline as determined by the Department of Development; and
6. Applications must specify the location of all projects; and
7. All documents required by the Department of Development must be contained within the application or attached; and
8. All applications must be received by the deadline as set by the Department of Development.

E. Evaluation Criteria

1. The Department of Development shall issue written requirements for each year’s application format, contents, and required attachments; and all documents required by the Department of Development must be contained within the application or attached.
2. The Department of Development shall establish and notify local communities of each year’s application deadline and other requirements regarding the application deadline. All applications must be received by the deadline as set by the Department of Development.
3. The Department of Development shall evaluate applications based upon factors including, but not limited to, the following:
   a. That the application meets the eligibility requirements specified in paragraph (D) of this section.
   b. That the project specified in the application may complement or otherwise enhance other projects supported through other funding sources.
4. Each Community Development Supplemental Grant award shall not exceed $50,000.00.

(Ordinance Nos. O2020-0001, Enacted 2/11/2020, Effective 2/21/2020; O2018-0005, Enacted 5/29/2018, Effective 5/31/2018; O2015-0003, Enacted 6/28/2016, Effective 7/1/2016; O2014-0006, Enacted 11/12/2014, Effective 11/13/2014)

Sections 714.03-714.06 Repealed on 6/28/2016 by Ordinance No. O2015-0003.