The Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development covers the years 2000 through 2005. Does this mean that proposals should be for that five-year period?

An agency might be awarded a portion of the amount requested. The grant amount depends on the reasonableness of the request and the track record of the requesting agency and the amount of funds the County has available. The amount of work to be accomplished must be renegotiated if the agency is awarded less than the total requested.

Start-up operating funds for a new public service project are almost never approved. A short, start-up period for a proposed one-year "brick and mortar” project can be included.

The County funds housing development activities through the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) administered by this Department's Housing Development division. A HOME proposal package can be obtained by calling 301-883-5570.

An agency uses its own resources to pay project expenses, submits its request to Department Housing and Community Development for reimbursement along with proof of the expenses paid. The County processes the request and then mails a check to the agency.

No. Eligibility depends on the income of people who reside in the area. No eligible area is excluded from consideration. Eligibility determinations are based on 2000 census data provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Yes. Agencies are asked to plan the project so that the grant will be spent during the one-year period.

Yes.

Yes, although there have been a few exceptions in the past. In all cases, the agency must provide service to low and moderate-income Prince George's County residents.

Most applicants are government agencies and public entities, like municipalities. The nonprofit applicant must have 501(c)(3) status confirmed by the time funding decisions are made.

There are two kinds of slums or blight: (1) spot, and (2) area wide. The slums/blight determination must be based on any of the conditions described in State/County regulation. One basis used in the County is that the condition causing the area wide deterioration results from a defect in the design of the community. In these cases, the defect was the failure to provide adequate storm water management systems.

Proposals are compiled and summarized by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Community Planning and Development division. The summarized information is submitted to the County Executive who recommends funding approvals to the County Council for review. Proposals selected for funding are written into the Annual Action Plan for the coming year.

Projects involving rehabilitation and improvement of public facilities and infrastructure have a good chance of being funded because more money is available for them. Of course, the proposal has to describe a project with a high likelihood of success, well thought through, realistic, achievable, etc.

A new public service has a poor chance of being funded. Only 15% of the County's CDBG funds can go to public services. For a new project to be funded, an existing project has to give up funding. This is not likely to happen.

Large projects should be broken down into year-by-year phases. Community Development Block Grant funds are limited, and there are many needs throughout the County that must be addressed.