In accordance with 24 CFR 570.207, buildings, or portions thereof, used for the general conduct of government cannot be assisted with CDBG funds. However, the removal of architectural barriers within public buildings to make them more accessible to elderly and handicapped persons is eligible as a CDBG public facility activity. In addition, facilities such as neighborhood service centers or special purpose buildings that may house services provided by government at decentralized locations are also eligible as a CDBG public facility activity.

A list of eligible NYS Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applicants is available online, here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant

Eligible costs may include direct construction, direct labor, direct material, engineering for planning and design, construction oversight/management, program delivery and administration.  It is specifically noted that soft costs may not exceed the amounts set for each activity type:

• Public Facility and Infrastructure: engineering, program delivery and administration may not exceed 18% of the total CDBG budget including no more than 5% of the total budget for administration.
• Microenterprise: program delivery and administration may not exceed 20% (both are limited to 10%) of the total CDBG budget.
• Stand-alone business assistance: $16,000 cap for program delivery and administration combined
• Community Planning: administration not to exceed 5% of the CDBG budget.  

More information can be found in the NYS CDBG Administration Manual here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#program-guidelines

See the Request for Applications (RFA) for additional information related to complying with a HUD National Objective here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials. Additional information can also be found in the CDBG Grant Administration Manual here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#program-guidelines

To locate a Zip Code, click HERE

To determine the US Congressional District, click HERE

If applying in the name of a business please type in the name as it appears on your business papers. If applying as an individual insert your name here.

To look up a zip code, click HERE

The pre-certification form can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials

The form can be found at: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials 

For microenterprise activities, use the form found here:https://hcr.ny.gov/pre-submission-job-creation-table-me

For stand-alone economic development activities, use the form found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/pre-submission-job-creation-retention-table

CDBG public hearing requirements can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials. 

Applicants must meet the citizen participation requirements at 24 CFR 570.486 and NYS Homes and Community Renewal's Citizen Participation Plan as amended, which require Applicants to follow a citizen participation plan. Prior to submitting a CDBG application, applicants must issue a public hearing notice and hold one public hearing (one in each jurisdiction of a joint application) allowing for citizen feedback on the community and economic development needs of the applicant community and any proposed project(s). When issuing the notice and holding the public hearing, please note the following:

• • • The hearing must be conducted in accordance with the New York State Open Meetings Law (Public Officers Law, Article 7)
    • The hearing must be held within nine (9) months of the initial application submission
    • The municipality must provide a minimum seven (7) day period between the publication of the hearing notice and the hearing itself. Note that the date of publication is day "zero."
    • The hearing notice must be conspicuously posted in one or more public locations at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the actual hearing. Documentation of the posting must be provided as part of the application. Examples of documentation include:
      • Digital photo of physical posting, with date stamp
      • Screenshot from website posting
      • Other documentation that clearly demonstrates that the notice was posted conspicuously at least 72 hours prior to the actual hearing
      • Written attestation of the above
    • The hearing must be conducted by a quorum of the legislative body of the municipality only, not by a sub recipient, department or arm of the applicant
    • The notice for the hearing must specifically mention the municipality’s intent to apply for NYS CDBG funds and the current program year
    • The notice must identify all activities that the Applicant may be applying for during current program year, which may include Housing, Public Infrastructure/Facilities, Economic Development, Community Planning, or Imminent Threat
    • Public hearings must be held in a location accessible to persons with disabilities and/or provide reasonable accommodations to allow all interested parties to participate
    • The municipal resolution authorizing the public hearing, the hearing notice, affidavit of publication, hearing minutes, and evidence of conspicuous public posting must be included as an attachment to the application
    • A copy of the application must be available for public inspection at the municipal office(s).

The Project Schedule form can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials

The form can be found at: https://hcr.ny.gov/cdbg-program-income-report

Please attach Application Project Team, found on the OCR website. 

The form can be found at: https://hcr.ny.gov/smart-growth-project-compliance-form

 The form can be found at: https://hcr.ny.gov/applicant-certification-form

Requirements at 24CFR570.483 detail the requirements of whether a CDBG assisted activity complies with one or more of the National Objectives as required under 24CFR570.200. 

CDBG funded projects must demonstrate compliance with a National Objective of benefiting low- and moderate-income persons, meeting an urgent community development need or preventing or eliminating slums and blight. In order to document compliance with a National Objective, applicants must:

• Identify the activity type
• Identify the beneficiaries
• Document compliance

For further guidance on achieving National Objective, please see the Request for Applications (RFA) here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials or refer to Chapter 5 of the NYS CDBG Grant Administration Manual here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#program-guidelines

Common documentation by activity (not an exhaustive list):

Public Infrastructure

• Map of defined service area
• Census data
• Income survey data

          Public Facility

• Map of defined service area
• Census data
• Income survey data
• Other evidence of serving primarily low/mod population

          Economic Development

• Commitment from business(es) to create jobs available low/mod jobs
• Family income forms (self-certification of income and households size)

         Imminent Threat

• Slum/Blight Declaration (if S/B)
• Objective evidence of threat to public health and safety

            Community Planning

• Evidence that, if implemented, the plan will lead to an activity that will meet a national objective. Documentation will mirror that provided for infrastructure, economic development or housing activities

Fair Housing - All applicants are required to:

1. Attach a resolution passed by a quorum of the governing body designating a Fair Housing Officer who is familiar with fair housing laws and requirements. The officer must be trained or will receive training on duties and responsibilities as a fair housing officer, and, through means reasonably calculated to reach the community, publicize the existence of the fair housing officer as the primary point of contact for fair housing issues between the public and the locality. 

2.  Attach a statement disclosing whether the municipality has been the subject of any fair housing proceeding before a federal, state and/or local adjudicatory body, including the outcome/resolution, or if it receives a final disposition in a proceeding involving fair housing law claims.? 

For more information, refer to the NYS CDBG Request for Applications (RFA) here: 

https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials 

Applicants should begin the environmental review process to identify and eliminate barriers to immediate implementation upon award including any outstanding permits, federal and state consultations, mitigation measures, and legal measures. The Environmental Review Record (ERR) is a record of all consultation or mitigation actions along with required OCR forms. Those forms can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#forms-and-documents. This attachment must include the following, at a minimum:

• Designation of Certifying Officer (CO) - If CO is anyone other than the Chief Elected Official, the designation must be made by local resolution of the legislative body submitting the application. The CO must be a municipal official or employee.
• Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) documentation
  • Certification of SEQR Classification (Form)
  • Documentation of local SEQRA determination
  • Lead Agency documentation for Unlisted and Type 1 Actions
  • Environmental Notices Bulletin for Type 1 Actions
• Certification of NEPA Classification (Form)
• NEPA Classification Checklist (Form)
• Statutory Checklist (Form)
• Environmental Assessment Checklist (Form)
• Documentation of all state and federal agency consultations. This must include:
  • Requests to agencies for review and the response
  • All relevant maps must be included
  • SHPO documentation
  • THPO documentation, this specifically must be completed by the Certifying Officer
•  Compliance with FFRMS and Wetlands - Affidavit of publication for Early and Final Floodplain and Wetland Notices (if applicable)

Helpful Links:

SEQR - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation: https://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/357.html

NEPA - https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/environmental-review

NYS CDBG Environmental Review documents are located on the CDBG website here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#forms-and-documents

CDBG recipients may elect to sub-grant all or portions of their CDBG funds to a subrecipient for administration of a specific activity. Under this arrangement, CDBG funds typically flow through the CDBG recipient to the subrecipient to carry out the project. As a result, HCR must evaluate the responsibility of the subrecipient vendor to ensure the integrity of public dollars, and that the subrecipient has the capacity to perform the requirements of the CDBG award.   

The appropriate Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire can be found on the NYS Comptroller's Office website here:

https://www.osc.state.ny.us/state-vendors/vendrep/vendor-responsibility-forms

When a joint effort is required to solve a common water or sewer problem faced by two or more eligible local governments, a joint application may be submitted.  Local governments, however, must not only share a common problem that crosses their municipal boundaries but must also be able to demonstrate that a joint effort is required to solve the problem.  A cooperation agreement between the local governments must be included as an attachment to the application.  Joint applications submitted only for administrative convenience are not eligible and will not be considered for funding. In addition, proof that a public hearing was held for each cooperating municipality must be submitted as an attachment.

Note: CDBG public hearing requirements apply to all applicants submitting joint applications. Each community will be required to hold a public hearing prior to submission. Documentation demonstrating compliance of the public hearing requirements must be attached to Question Q_17357.

Items to attach may include, but are not limited to:

- Cost estimates provided by 3rd party
- Preliminary engineering/architectural reports
- Other agency findings, e.g. consent orders, notices of violations or compliance schedule
- Demonstrated community or political support, i.e. support letters
 

Additional required documents include:

• Public Infrastructure/Public Facility Detail Form. This can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials
• Documentation of condition of the facility, such as a buildings needs assessment, physical needs assessment, or other document that summarizes an evaluation of the current condition of the facility, identifying deficiencies, code violations, safety issues, and areas requiring repairs or upgrades
• Maintenance Plan
• Supportive services plan, as applicable

Additional required documents include:

• Community Planning Detail Form. This can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials
• Any other supporting documentation available to support the application. However, do not attached documents that are attached elsewhere in the application

An application attachment checklist can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials

Additional required documents include:

• Economic Development Detail Form. This can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials
• Underwriting Documentation (stand-alone only)
• Certification of business (stand-alone only)
• Commitment(s) to equity contribution and low/mod job creation (stand-alone only)
• Program Design Plan (Microenterprise only. Template here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#toolkits)
• Selection Committee (Microenterprise only)
• Application and local contract materials (Microenterprise only) here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#toolkits
• Training Curriculum (Microenterprise only) here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#toolkits

An application attachment checklist can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials

Additional required documents include:

• Imminent Threat Detail Form. This can be found here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials
• Blight resolution (S/B only)
• 3rd party evidence of blight (S/B only)
• Evidence of private owner participation and/or interest, if applicable
• Any other documentation of need not already provided 

Unique Entity ID: https://sam.gov/content/home

The applicant must describe:

• Other funding sources that were pursued and/or efforts taken to address the problem
• How CDBG funding is necessary to induce the project, i.e. there is a funding gap or
• How CDBG is the most appropriate source
• Whether CDBG is substituted for other sources
• The methodology to develop the cost estimates for the project, as well as the age of the cost estimates.

Requirements at 24CFR570.483 detail the requirements of whether a CDBG assisted activity complies with one or more of the National Objectives as required under 24CFR570.200. 

CDBG funded projects must demonstrate compliance with a National Objective of benefiting low- and moderate-income persons, meeting an urgent community development need or preventing or eliminating slums and blight. In order to document compliance with a National Objective, applicants must:

• Identify the activity type
• Identify the beneficiaries
• Document compliance

For further guidance on achieving National Objective, please see the Request for Applications (RFA) here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#funding-round-materials or refer to Chapter 5 of the NYS CDBG Grant Administration Manual here: https://hcr.ny.gov/community-development-block-grant#program-guidelines

The Build America, Buy America Act (BABA), enacted as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on November 15, 2021, established a domestic content procurement preference for all Federal financial assistance obligated for infrastructure projects after May 14, 2022. The domestic content procurement preference requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in covered infrastructure projects are produced in the United States (Buy America Preference)

HTFC will require at the time of bid that the contractor/engineer provide a materials certification and statement of any relevant general waivers to the grant recipient to indicate compliance with the BAP.

For further information, see:

• Main HUD BABA Page: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/baba/
• BABA FAQ: https://www.hudexchange.info/baba/faqs/