Code of Maine Rules › 19 - DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT › 498 - OFFICE OF TOURISM AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT › Chapter 8 - COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM: 1993 FINAL STATEMENT › Section 498-8-2 - COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT METHODS OF DISTRIBUTION

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS
The purpose of a Housing Assistance (HA) Grant is to provide
				  financing to address acute housing needs of low and moderate income persons
				  residing in the State of Maine. These needs must be part of a community
				  development strategy which will lead to future public and private
				  investments.
1. Threshold Criteria:
				The State will distribute Housing Assistance funds to local governments through
				the annual Housing Assistance Selection Process. The threshold criteria for the
				process are listed below:
(a) Eligible
				Applicants: All units of general local government in Maine, including
				plantations, are eligible to apply for and receive Housing Assistance funds
				from the State. County governments may apply on behalf of unorganized
				territories. Groups of local governments may apply for regional or joint
				housing activities. Multi-jurisdictional applications require designation of
				one local government as the legal applicant and consent for that designation by
				each participating local government.
(b) Ineligible Applicants: Entitlement
				communities of Portland, Bangor, Lewiston and Auburn, are not eligible to
				receive HA funds from the State. Except as described in l(a) above, County
				governments are not eligible applicants.
(c) Eligible Activities: Eligible activities
				include Acquisition, Code Enforcement, Conversion of Non-Residential
				structures, Demolition, Historic Preservation, Housing Rehabilitation, New
				Housing Construction, Relocation Assistance, and Removal of Architectural
				Barriers.
(d) Project Eligibility:
				Upon receipt by DCD, applications will be reviewed to determine the eligibility
				of the activities that the applicant proposes to undertake with Housing
				Assistance funds. Those activities must be included in Section l(c) above and
				be eligible under 24 CFR, Part 570, Subpart I, .482. Applications will only be
				accepted for activities directly related to the assistance to, or the creation
				of residential housing units. In the event that an application contains any
				proposed activity unrelated to housing, or an activity not listed in Section
				1(c) above, the entire application will be judged not to have not the project
				eligibility criteria. In all cases the applicant will be notified in writing of
				the e termination made by OCD.
(e)
				Federal and State Certifications for Local Governments: All communities
				applying for Housing Assistance funds must certify that they will:
(i) minimize displacement and adhere to a
				locally adopted displacement policy as set forth in Section 104(d) of the
				Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended;
(ii) take action to affirmatively further
				fair housing and comply with the provisions of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964
				and 1968;
(iii) adhere to MRSA
				Title 10, Chapter 214, Energy Efficiency Building Performance Standards Act,
				Section 1415-C(1) , (1A) and Section 1415-G in the construction of any new
				residential housing units;
(iv) not
				attempt to recover certain capital costs of public improvements funded in part
				with Housing Assistance monies;
(v)
				establish a community development plan;
(vi) meet all required State and Federal
				public participation
(vii) comply
				with the Federal requirements of Section 319 of Public law 101-122 regarding
				government-wide restriction on lobbying;
(viii) with the exception of administrative
				or personnel costs, verify that no person who is an employee, agent,
				consultant, officer, or elected official or appointed official of State or
				local government or of any designated public agencies, or subrecipients which
				are receiving CDBG funding may obtain a financial interest or benefit, have an
				interest in or benefit from the activity, or have an interest in any contract,
				subcontract or agreement with respect to CDBG activities; and
(ix) provide a local match equivalent to 10
				percent of the total grant award.
(f) Prohibition on Multiple Grants: Units of
				local government and unorganized territories may not benefit from more than one
				Housing Assistance Grant per grant year.