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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 21-992

NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Substantial Amendment to the 2019—2023 Consolidated Plan and 2019 Action Plan; Draft Action Plan for the Recovery Housing Program; Virtual Public Hearings

[51 Pa.B. 3473]
[Saturday, June 26, 2021]

Substantial Amendment to the 2019—2023 Consolidated Plan and 2019 Action Plan

 On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116-136) was signed into law to respond to the growing effects of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis. The CARES Act provides special allocations to the Commonwealth under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS Grant (HOPWA) programs to be used to prevent, prepare for and respond to COVID-19.

 Annually, the Department of Community and Economic Development (Department) prepares the Action Plan which outlines the methods of distribution for Federal funding received by the Commonwealth through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Notice is hereby given that the 2019—2023 Consolidated Plan and the 2019 Action Plan will be amended to account for two additional allocations of CDBG-CV funding. For the 2019 Action Plan, the Methods of Distribution to the Commonwealth's resources will be updated, which according to the Pennsylvania Citizen Participation Plan for the Consolidated Plan, constitutes a significant change in the distribution of funds under the plan and requires a substantial amendment to the original Consolidated Plan and Action Plan. In accordance with a waiver of regulatory authority, approved by HUD on April 7, 2020, to the normal citizen comment period, the Commonwealth will hold a 5-day citizen comment period starting on Saturday, June 26, 2021, until Thursday, July 1, 2021.

 The proposed amendments for the 2019 Annual Action Plan are as follows:

CDBG-CV # 2: $51,352,198 and CDBG-CV # 3: $20,141,782 (Total Amount of Funding: $71,493,980)

 These funds will be governed by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Pub.L. No. 93-383), the regulations of the CDBG for states at 24 CFR 570.480 (relating to general) and the CARES Act. The requirements will also include any waivers or additional guidance issued by HUD under the CARES Act (www.hud.gov/coronavirus).

 The CDBG-CV funding is being made available to any unit of local government in the Commonwealth, including those that qualify as direct Federal entitlement communities or urban counties under the CDBG Program. This is in accordance with the waivers and alternate requirements published by the Office of Community Planning and Development, HUD in the Federal Register notice at Docket No. FR-6218-N-01 on August 7, 2020 (85 FR 51457 (August 7, 2020)). Priority will be given to counties applying on behalf of municipalities or applying for regional activities.

 The Department proposes the following distribution of funds. Note the funds listed are estimates and final numbers will be provided at the public hearing:

Economic Development—Business Assistance—$30 million (Estimated)

 Funds will be provided to the Department PREP Network for job creation grants and small business support in all 67 counties.

Public Infrastructure—Broadband Infrastructure—$25 million (Estimated)

 Funds will be available, through applications, to county governments solely to support broadband expansion, specifically line extensions and the deployment of Wi-Fi hot spots, in low-income communities.

Housing—Housing Rehabilitation—$10 million (Estimated)

 Applications will be accepted from county governments for funding to make modifications to existing housing stock to allow elderly to age in place and those individuals with health conditions, such as asthma, that could be impacted by COVID-19.

Public Services—$6.5 million (Estimated)

 Funds will be available, through applications, to county governments to fund eligible public service activities, including but not limited to, emergency subsistence payments, telemedicine services for low-income to moderate-income persons, mental health services and substance use disorder recovery services.

Administration—$4.2 million (Estimated)

 Funds to be used for program administration, including application review, financial management, reporting and monitoring.

 The Department will accept funding applications for broadband, housing rehabilitation and public services from all counties within the Commonwealth and acting with and on behalf of municipalities within the county. The Department will propose priority in the distribution of funds based on the demonstrated local need and direct connection to preparing for, preventing the spread of or responding to COVID-19.

Public Review and Comment Period

 The Substantial Amendment to the 2019—2023 Consolidated Plan and 2019 Annual Action Plan is available on the Department's web site at http://dced.pa.gov, (select the Consolidated Plans, Action Plans and Reports tab at the bottom of the home page). The substantial amendment is available for public comment from June 26, 2021, through July 1, 2021.

 A virtual public hearing will be held on July 1, 2021, at 10 a.m. through Microsoft Teams.

 Individuals can join the virtual public hearing at https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19:meeting_ngq0zjlmnditzbhmy00mdhlltlmmzety2u2odfjzme4otzh@ thread.v2/0?context={''tid'':''418e2841-0128-4dd5-9b6c-47fc5a9a1bde'',''oid'':''2ed73e8d-d048-425b-93cc-055ce4231b52''}.

 Individuals can join the virtual public hearing by phone at +1 (267) 332-8737,,44282665# United States, Philadelphia. The conference ID is 442 826 65#.

 The virtual public hearing will be shortened if there is no one to testify or there is minimal response.

 Individuals with a disability or limited English proficiency who wish to participate in the virtual public hearing should contact Megan L. Snyder at (717) 787-5327 or TDD at (717) 346-0308 to discuss how the Department can accommodate their requests.

 Comments on the Substantial Amendment to the 2019—2023 Consolidated Plan and 2019 Annual Action Plan may be electronically submitted to the Department at RA-DCEDcdbghomequestions@pa.gov. Comments will also be accepted by telephone by calling (717) 787-5327. Written comments may be submitted to Megan L. Snyder, Center for Community and Housing Development, Department of Community and Economic Development, 400 North Street, 4th Floor, Commonwealth Keystone Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225. Comments must be received by 4 p.m. on July 1, 2021, to be included as testimony in the Plan that will be submitted to HUD.

Draft Action Plan for the Recovery Housing Program

 On October 24, 2018, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act or SUPPORT Act (Pub.L. No. 115-271) was signed into law to respond to the growing effects of the opioid public health crisis. HUD issued a notice in the Federal Register at Docket No. FR-6225-N-01, on November 19, 2020 (85 FR 75361 (November 19, 2020)), which awarded $1,200,000 of Recovery Housing Program (RHP) funds, which will be administered by the Department. The Federal Register notice requires the Commonwealth to notify and provide its citizens an opportunity to comment and provide input on the draft Action Plan or any substantial amendment, or both, to the Action Plan.

 The purpose of the RHP is to help grantees to provide stable, temporary housing to individuals in recovery from a substance disorder. More specifically, RHP would provide funds to develop housing or maintain housing for individuals.

Public Review and Comment Period

 The draft Action Plan will be available for a 15-day public comment period, in accordance with the Federal Register notice. The Action Plan may be viewed on the Department's web site at http://dced.pa.gov (select the Consolidated Plans, Action Plans and Reports tab at the bottom of the home page). The Action Plan will be available for public comment from June 26, 2021, through July 12, 2021.

 A public hearing will be held on June 30, 2021, at 11 a.m. through Microsoft Teams.

 Individuals can join the virtual public hearing at https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19:meeting_ywy5zje1njatywvhyi00ztk3lwezowitothinjjjndcwmdmy@ thread.v2/0?context={''tid'':''418e2841-0128-4dd5-9b6c-47fc5a9a1bde'',''oid'':''2ed73e8d-d048-425b-93cc-055ce4231b52''}.

 Individuals can join the virtual public hearing by phone at +1 (237) 332-8737. The conference ID is 867166890.

 The virtual public hearing will be shortened if there is no one to testify or there is minimal response.

 Individuals with a disability or limited English proficiency who wish to participate in the virtual public hearing should contact Megan L. Snyder at (717) 787-5327 or TDD at (717) 346-0308 to discuss how the Department can accommodate their requests.

 Comments on the RHP Action Plan may be electronically submitted to the Department at RA-DCEDcdbghomequestions@pa.gov. Comments will also be accepted by telephone by calling (717) 787-5327. Written comments may be submitted to Megan L. Snyder, Center for Community and Housing Development, Department of Community and Economic Development, 400 North Street, 4th Floor, Commonwealth Keystone Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0225. Comments must be received by 4 p.m. on July 12, 2021, to be included as testimony in the Plan that will be submitted to HUD.

DENNIS M. DAVIN, 
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 21-992. Filed for public inspection June 25, 2021, 9:00 a.m.]


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