A public hearing on the city’s housing and community development needs will take place at the Tuesday, Dec. 6 City Commission meeting.
The regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 10 N. Division St.
The public is invited to attend and comment on the problems they are encountering in their neighborhoods. Staff is seeking public input on how needs and priorities in each neighborhood are changing.
Citizens also may comment in writing to: Chris Lussier, Community Development Manager, City of Battle Creek, 10 N. Division St. Room 117, Battle Creek, MI 49014. Contact him at 269-966-3267 or cplussier@battlecreekmi.gov.
The city’s Community Development Division administers federal Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnership funds, and applies for other state and federal funds to improve Battle Creek’s neighborhoods. Each year, Community Development reports to the community about how that money is spent, then conducts a community needs assessment to determine the highest priorities for the next program year.
This fall Community Development staff attended meetings of most of the city’s eight Neighborhood Planning Councils and the SHARE Center’s homeless participants to gather input on community needs. Speaking at the Dec. 6 public hearing is an opportunity for additional comments to add to the discussion.
For the 2016-2017 program year, the city will fund the following with CDBG dollars: $290,000 for code enforcement in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods; $464,000 for minor home repair for low- and moderate-income home owners; $175,000 for rental rehab of housing units in mixed-use buildings; $100,000 for demolition of vacant and abandoned housing; $98,500 for administration; and $127,500 for strategic planning.
With HOME dollars, the city will fund: $80,000 for Habitat for Humanity to rehab and resell to qualified home buyers two vacant, single-family homes (438 W. Jackson and 247 N. McKinley); and $26,500 for The Salvation Army to administer tenant-based rental assistance. The city will spend $22,109 for administration and $137,485 to fund four home owner rehabilitations in an area targeted for revitalization – the North Central Neighborhood Planning Council 2.
Funding is consistent with the city’s strategic plan, developed in the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan, the application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for CDBG and HOME funding. The Dec. 6 hearing precedes development of the Annual Action Plan, which will detail to HUD how the city will spend 2017-2018 funds.