City of Gainesville CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN

Transcription

1 City f Gainesville CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN INTRODUCTION The City f Gainesville s Citizen Participatin Plan has been prepared in accrdance with U. S. Department f Husing and Urban Develpment (HUD) Regulatins at 24 CFR Part 91 n Cmmunity Planning and Develpment Prgrams Cnslidatin published February 6, 1995 and amended February 9, This plan updates the Citizen Participatin Plan apprved by the Gainesville City Cmmissin in Prir t 1981, the Cmmunity Develpment Blck Grant (CDBG) prgram required a frmal citizen participatin prcess. Grantees, such as the City f Gainesville, had t adpt and fllw a written Citizen Participatin Plan that met the U.S. Department f Husing and Urban Develpment s (HUD) requirements. In 1981, the requirement fr a Citizen Participatin Plan was drpped, althugh many Grantees cntinued t use Citizen Advisry Cmmittees and ther elements that were previusly a part f the HUD requirements. PURPOSE Sectin 508 f the Husing and Cmmunity Develpment Act f 1987 reinstated the requirement f having written citizen participatin plan. The purpse f this plan is, therefre, t meet HUD s requirements and t spell ut the elements f the City s Citizen Participatin Plan and t encurage citizen input, particularly fr the City s lw-tmderate incme persns. The City f Gainesville s Citizen Participatin Plan serves as the fundatin fr develping strnger citizen relatinships in the City. The City supprts and encurages full participatin f citizens, cmmunity grups, and ther interested agencies in bth the develpment and evaluatin f prgrams and activities cvered in the develpment and implementatin f the Cnslidated and Annual Actin Plans, CAPER, and neighbrhd plans. The Citizen Participatin Plan is rganized t include the fllwing elements: 1.) Intrductin 2.) Purpse 3.) Citizen Participatin Advisry Cmmittee Structure 4.) Public Participatin 5.) Access t Infrmatin 6.) Technical Assistance 7.) Grievance and Cmplaint Prcedure 8.) Special Needs: Nn-English speaking residents 9.) Anti-Displacement Citizen Participatin Plan 2009 Page 1 f 6

2 City f Gainesville CITIZEN PARTICIPATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE STRUCTURE Increasing citizen and cmmunity invlvement is an imprtant cmpnent f gaining a better understanding f the needs in the city and develping apprpriate strategies t address thse needs. This is evidenced by the creatin f a Citizen s Advisry Cmmittee in This Citizen s Advisry Cmmittee is devted t activities related t the CDBG, HOME, SHIP and Sectin 108 prgrams. The City f Gainesville is cmmitted t a meaningful citizen participatin prcess. It is the intent f this Citizen Participatin Plan, therefre, t cntinue t use the Citizen Advisry Cmmittee fr Cmmunity Develpment. The creatin f the Citizen Advisry Cmmittee fr Cmmunity Develpment (CACCD) was t be used as a primary vehicle fr citizen input fr the City s Federal and Statefunded prgrams. The primary respnsibility f the City Cmmissin appinted CACCD is t make recmmendatins t the Cmmissin n the annual distributin f the CDBG and HOME prject funds based upn the bjectives stated in the Cnslidated Plan. The Cmmittee establishes prgram guidelines which assist them in recmmending funding pririty f husing, cmmunity develpment, and hmes activities. The CACCD is a critical cmpnent f the public participatin prcess. The CACCD is a resident advisry cmmittee that wrks clsely with the Husing and Cmmunity Develpment Divisin f the City f Gainesville. The Advisry cmmittee reviews and evaluates all husing develpment and public services applicatins; perfrm site visits t the agencies, hear presentatins frm each applicant; then, make recmmendatin t the City Cmmissin fr final apprval. The CACCD cnsists f 15 cmmittee members. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PUBLIC COMMENT All residents, particularly thse lw and mderate incme residents f neighbrhds targeted fr the use f CDBG, HOME, SHIP, r Sectin 108 funds, will be affrded pprtunities t participate in discussins n these prgrams. Residents have the pprtunity t make cmments by (1) cmmunicating directly with City staff; (2) attending meetings f the CACCD; and (3) attending meetings f the City Cmmissin when CDBG-related items are being cnsidered. In all cases, residents are encuraged t cmment either in persn, including by telephne, r in writing. Citizen cmments t the City staff and CACCD members are received during regular ffice hurs f the City by calling (352) , r writing the Department f Neighbrhd Imprvement, Husing & Cmmunity Develpment Divisin, City f Gainesville, P.O. Bx 490, Gainesville, FL Likewise, cmments t the City Cmmissin are addressed t the City Cmmissin by calling (352) , r writing t the City Cmmissin, City f Gainesville, P.O. Bx 490, Gainesville, FL Citizen Participatin

3 City f Gainesville All meetings f the CACCD and City Cmmissin are pen t the public in cmpliance with the Flrida Gvernment-in-the-Sunshine Law. Each grup sets its wn agenda and rules fr addressing the grup, and allws fr public discussin. CACCD members serving in an additinal rle f hearing citizen cmments thrugh persnal cntact with friends and neighbrs. Depending n their invlvement r representatin in ther cmmunity grups, they may als serve in a frmal r infrmal liaisn rle with these grups. NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES Residents are ntified f City Cmmissin and CACCD meetings and Public Hearings in the fllwing manner: Psting in the Clerk f the Cmmissin s Weekly Ntice f Meetings; City f Gainesville Bi-Weekly newsletter; and Psting in the Gvernment Mem and/r Public Meetings, which are regular features f the Gainesville Sun. In additin, when the CACCD hlds it meetings in targeted neighbrhds (usually nce each quarter), an ne r a cmbinatin f means are used t publicized the meetings including display ads in the Gainesville Sun and minrity newspapers, public service annuncements n radi r televisin, and psters r handbills. Ntificatins f the availability f federal funds may be made in a like manner. PUBLIC HEARINGS / MEETINGS Lcal gvernment units applying fr federal funds must cmply with citizen participatin regulatins utlined at 24 CFR Prir t submitting their applicatin fr federal funds, the lcal gvernment applicant must prvide sufficient pprtunity fr affected citizens t gain an understanding f the prpsed prject activities and the amunt f CDBG funds being sught. A minimum f ne public hearing is required, but cmmunities are encuraged t engage citizens at the nset f the prject s planning prcess. Applicants must give adequate ntice f public hearings and must prvide citizens with a timely written respnse t any cmplaints r grievances. Dcumentatin f the public hearing must be submitted with their applicatin fr federal funds. The purpse f the Public Hearings is t: Receive cmments frm citizens, public agencies, cmmunity members and ther interested parties Respnd t prpsals and cmments at all stages f the cnslidated submissin prcess Identify husing and cmmunity develpment needs Review prpsed use f funds Review prgram amendments Review prgram perfrmance Citizen Participatin

4 City f Gainesville The City f Gainesville will have ne r mre Public Hearings each year t btain citizen s input, infrmatin n the neighbrhds, amendments, and funding prpsals. The hearings are held in buildings accessible t all persns. These Public Hearings are als held at times and lcatins cnvenient t ptential and actual beneficiaries f each federally funded prgram. During the regularly scheduled CACCD meeting, there will be ne r mre Public Hearings t hear and review prpsals fr funding amendments, new funding prpsals, submissin t HUD f: the Cnslidated Annual Perfrmance and Evaluatin Reprt (CAPER), the Annual Actin Plan, and any new applicatins fr federal funds. These meetings will address the needs f the cmmunity, particularly fr persns f lw and mderate incme. Nte: Citizens are ntified f the availability t review and cmment n all the abve-mentined dcuments befre submitting t HUD. Any prpsed amendment is published and available fr public cmment ver a 30-day cmment perid. The nly a shrter perid is set is thrugh the authrizatin f HUD. Ntice f all the CACCD meetings will be published at least seven (7) days in advance. Every effrt will be made t hld these meetings at lcatin which are cnvenient t residents f prpsed target neighbrhds and accessible t the handicapped. The Cmmittee meets at least nce a mnth, except in July and August when meetings are held n an as-needed basis. Once each quarter the CACCD als meets in a target neighbrhd as part f an utreach effrt t get citizen feedback and see firsthand the activities being funded thrugh CDBG, HOME, SHIP, and ther surces as the City btain funding. The City f Gainesville prvides adequate ntice f all Public Hearings and meetings thrugh the media and direct mailings. T give adequate ntice f Public Hearings, the City f Gainesville Husing & Cmmunity Develpment Divisin (HCD) has ntices detailing the purpse f the hearings published in the reginal newspaper at least 10 days in advance. Infrmatin abut all Public Hearings can als be accessed by calling (352) ACCESS TO INFORMATION Full access t HCD Prgram infrmatin, dcuments, and schedule f meeting times and publicatin dates is prvide t the public. Prgram recrds and infrmatin, cnsistent with state and lcal laws regarding privacy and bligatins f cnfidentiality, are available fr citizen review at the ffice f the Husing & Cmmunity Develpment Divisin lcated at 306 N. E. 6 th Street, Thmas Center B, 2 nd Flr, Rm 201, Gainesville, Flrida. The Office may be reached by telephne at (352) , r by fax at (352) during nrmal business hurs f 7:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m., Mnday thrugh Thursday. Key dcuments f the Husing & Cmmunity Develpment Divisin (HCD) are placed n file fr public inspectin in the ffices f HCD and the Alachua Cunty Library. All dcuments which are reviewed by the City Cmmissin are als n file in the ffices f the Clerk f the Cmmissin. Key dcuments includes, but are nt limited t: Cnslidated Plan and Annual Actin Plan Citizen Participatin

5 City f Gainesville Cnslidated Annual Perfrmance & Evaluatin Reprt (CAPER) Any and all Amendments t the Annual Actin Plan Any and all applicatins fr funding such as: Request f Funds fr the CDBG Prgram Request f Funds fr the HOME Prgram Request f Funds fr the CDBG-R Prgram Request f Funds fr the HPRP Prgram Request f Funds fr the NSP Prgram Request f Funds fr the Sectin 108 Prgram Request f Funds fr the SHIP Prgram Request f Funds fr the Husing Cunseling Prgram Other infrmatin and recrds relating t the City s use f varius Federal and State Prgram funds may be reviewed by the public in the ffices f HCD in cmpliance with the Flrida Public Recrds Law and applicable HUD regulatins. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Upn request, the City s HCD Divisin will prvide technical assistance t grups representing the needs f lw and mderate incme persns fr the purpse f develping prpsals and appearing befre the CACCD. Technical assistance fr develping prpsals will be limited t guidance in cmpleting any applicatins fr funding, prviding infrmatin n deadlines and prject eligibility, and prviding technical assistance cncerning HUD regulatins. An annual wrkshp is ffered t ptential applicants requesting federal funds describing the prgrams applicatins prcess and the varius prgram ffered and the HUD Regulatry requirements related t the varius prgrams. Staff members will nt prepare applicatins, nr appear as advcated fr r against specific prject prpsals. GRIEVANCE AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURES The City f Gainesville will cnsider any cmments r views f citizens received in writing, r rally at public hearings. A summary f all cmments r views, as well as hw they were addressed in the relevant dcument will be included in the final Cnslidated Plan, amendments t the Plan, r perfrmance reprts. The City f Gainesville will make very reasnable effrt t issue a written respnse t every written cmplaint r grievance within 15 wrking days f receipt. When this is nt pssible, the City shall, within 15 wrking days f receipt, issue a letter indicating the status f the cmplaint review and the apprximate anticipated date f a cmplete respnse. Citizen Participatin

6 City f Gainesville Citizens wh wish t ldge a cmplaint, may appeal t the City Manager by writing t: City Manager, City f Gainesville, FL P.O. Bx 490, Gainesville, FL The City Manager will make a determinatin n the appeal and respnd in writing within fifteen (15) wrking days frm the receipt f such cmplaint/appeal. SPECIAL NEEDS: NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS In its past experience with the HCD Divisin, the City has nt encuntered significant numbers f nn-english speaking residents at public meetings r hearings. Hwever, in the event it cmes t the City s attentin that a significant number f nn-english speaking residents might reasnably be expected t participate in a meeting f the CACCD, the City will emply the services f an interpreter t assist in translating the meeting fr the benefit f the nn-english speaking residents. Als, printed ntices f such meetings will be prepared in the language f the nn-english speaking residents. ANTI-DISPLACEMENT It is the plicy f the City f Gainesville t make all reasnable effrts t ensure that activities undertaken with CDBG, HOME, SHIP, CDBG-R, HPRP, Sectin 108 Prgram funds will nt cause unnecessary displacement. The City will cntinue t administer these prgrams in such a manner that careful cnsideratin is given during the planning phase t avid displacement. Displacement f any nature shall be reserved as a last resrt actin necessitated nly when n ther alternative is available and when the activity is determined necessary in rder t carry ut a specific gal r bjective that is f benefit t the public. If displacement is precipitated by activities that require the acquisitin (whle r in part) r rehabilitatin f real prperty directly by the City f Gainesville, all apprpriate benefits as required by the Unifrm Relcatin Assistance and Real Prperty Acquisitin Plicies Act f 1970 and amendments. The Unifrm Act r the Residential Anti-displacement and Relcatin Assistance Plan under Sectin 104 (d) shall be prvided t the displace persns r persns. Infrmatin abut these prgrams will be prvided t all persns wh may ptentially be displaced in the frm f infrmatinal brchures n these prgrams and explained in detail by the City s Relcatin staff. These plicies are mre specifically utlined in the City s HCD Divisin Displacement Relcatin Plicy which details the Residential Anti-Displacement and Relcatin Assistance Plan. This dcument is available fr public review in the HUD Office, Thmas Center B, 306 N. E. 6 th Avenue, 2 nd Flr, Rm 201, frm 7:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m., Mnday thrugh Thursday. Citizen Participatin