CDBG-CV Funds Appropriated to CDAIDE
During C0vid times pretty much every taxing district received different avenues of federal funding under the guise of "C0vid." The cities, counties, and school districts all received ARPA funds (called ESSER for the schools) and Coeur d'Alene was no different. In addition to the $8.6 million ARPA funds the city received through the US Treasury Department in 2021, the city also received $446,799 in C0vid funds through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
With the $446,799 in CDBG C0vid (CDBG-CV) funds, the city was able to fund multiple projects that were directly affected by the C0vid pandemic. The remaining funds (20%) were set aside and used to administer the funds.
At the CDA City Council August 15th meeting, Community Planning Director Hillary Anderson requested to appropriate the remainder of CDBG-CV funds to CDAIDE so:
CDAIDE can get paid back for some expenses incurred while helping hospitality workers dealing with C0vid, and
This appropriation will use the rest of the city's CDBG-CV funds before they close out FY23.
CDAIDE was chosen to receive these funds because they are the "only one who continues to see the impacts of C0vid and have asked for the money...Hospitality workers have continued to see the impacts because they can't return to work and so it's impacted them. They've had to have expenses for transportation, car repairs, and some of the other things, or assistance with paying their rent or other bills that fit within the program."
CDAIDE does keep specific records on each individual who receives help through CDAIDE to ensure the money is being used appropriately.
Motion to transfer of CDBG-CV funds to CDAIDE approved.
CDBG Annual Action Plan and 2023-2027 Consolidated Plan
Outside of unexpected "pandemics," the City of Coeur d’Alene receives an annual direct allocation of CDBG funds from HUD. Every year the City is required to complete an Annual Action Plan, inviting the public to attend a public forum, prior to drafting the plan, to identify needs and then allowing the public four weeks to share comments on the posted draft plan. Every five years, the City is required to prepare a five-year consolidated plan identifying priorities for the CDBG program and showing how the funds will be used to meet the community’s goals in support of low-to-moderate income community members. This is the year where both the Annual Action Plan and 5-year Consolidated Plan converge.
The City has prepared a draft 2023-2027 Consolidated Plan that includes the 2023 Annual Action Plan (AAP). The Consolidated Plan outlines demographic information for Coeur d’Alene, including challenges with rising housing costs, community needs, service providers, a history of the City’s CDBG program and how funds have been spent to benefit low-to-moderate community members, and goals for how the funds will be used over the next five years. The plan reflects community input on funding priorities and goals for the next five years, and how the City will fulfill its program reporting requirements. The Consolidated Plan also includes the 2023 AAP as a chapter. The draft 2023 AAP outlines how the City intends to spend its CDBG funds and fulfill its program reporting requirements for the 2023 Plan Year, which begins October 1.
After the presentation there was a public hearing regarding the above goals and budget, of which only one person chose to speak regarding finding a way to get funding about making areas more accessible to the disabled community. The city council motioned to accept the CDBG proposal for the 2023 Annual Action Plan and the 2023-2027 Consolidated Plan, which was approved 6-0.