PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO ST. CHARLES COUNTY’S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT-FUNDED PROGRAMS

The St. Charles County Council invites public comments on proposed changes to CDBG-funded programs in response to additional CDBG funds (CDBG-CV) provided under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

The County Council will hold the following public hearing:

  • Monday, March 8, 2021 at 7:00 pm: to amend the County’s 2016-2020 Consolidated Plan and 2019 Annual Action Plan.

The public hearing will be held at the following location:

EXECUTIVE BUILDING/COUNCIL CHAMBERS
100 N. THIRD STREET, ST. CHARLES, MO

ATTENDEES WILL BE ASKED TO COMPLETE A HEALTH SCREENING UPON ENTRY.  WEARING A FACE COVERING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IS
STRONGLY ENCOURAGED.

The meetings will be available live online via YouTube at youtube.com/SCCMOTV or the County website at sccmo.org/CouncilMeetingLive. The meetings also will be available the following day at tv.sccmo.org and youtube.com/SCCMOTV.

In accordance with 24 CFR 91.05(c)(2) and subpart B of the federal regulations relative to the updated 2020 Citizen Participation Plan for Community Planning and Development Programs,  and applicable waivers made available to those requirements through the CARES Act, St Charles County is amending its CDBG Five Year Consolidated Plan 2016 – 2020 for the St Charles Urban County available to the public through this notice.

The St. Charles Urban County includes the jurisdictions of unincorporated St. Charles County and the municipalities of St. Charles, St. Peters, Lake St. Louis, Wentzville, St. Paul, New Melle, Cottleville, and Weldon Spring.

Public Comment Period and Process:  Due to the urgency to respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic the CARES Act allows for a shortened timeline for public review and comment and receipt of comments.  The updated 2020 Citizen Participation Plan and the Consolidated Plan amendment(s) are available for less than the usual 30-day public comments period. Comments may be made from the date of this publication through March 15, 2021.  Citizens wishing to submit written comments during this period may mail them, postmarked no later than March 15, 2021, as follows:

City of St Charles
Department of Community Development
200 N 2nd Street, Ste 303
St Charles, MO 63301
Attn: Kathleen Thompson
636-949-3214

Comments may also be emailed by March 15, 2021 to Ms. Thompson at Kathleen.Thompson@stcharlescitymo.gov

You may also contact her for accessible delivery formats and language translations.

Updated 2020 Citizen Participation Plan and Five-Year Plan Amendments:

This hearing is being held for the County Council to amend the 2019 Annual Action Plan and to amend the Five Year CDBG Consolidated Plan 2016 – 2020  to enable the County to receive and administer the additional $1,060,488 in FY2020 Community Development Block Grant – Corona Virus (CDBG-CV) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) made available through the CARES Act.

This additional CDBG-CV funding in the amount of $1,060,488 made available to the County by HUD through the third round of CARES Act will be used for the same purpose of the initial allocations indicated in the major amendment to the 2019 Annual Action Plan which is to prevent the spread of coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) and facilitate assistance to eligible communities, households, and persons economically impacted by COVID-19.

Eligible CDBG activities include, but are not limited to, assisting low- and moderate-income households with rental assistance, mental health assistance, small business assistance, and support of other COVID-19 response services. Eligible CDBG-CV activities include public service agency assistance, and the increased capacity needs using Homeless Management Information System and administration for the Coordinated Entry and for professional case management services to assist residents with an urgent need for housing assistance. 

Further, eligible CDBG and CDBG-CV costs incurred as of March 27, 2020, the date in which President Trump signed the CARES Act, and paid for with nonfederal funds, may be repaid with CDBG and CDBG-CV funding, including those made under the CARES Act. These pre-award costs will meet all HUD requirements applicable to CDBG and CDBG-CV, including those under the CARES Act.  Unless waived by HUD, CDBG pre-award costs for FY2020 may not exceed 25% of the FY19 and/or FY20 annual entitlement allocations and will be used for the CDBG eligible activities as indicated above. 

Public notices regarding updates to the Citizen Participation Plan and amendments to the Five Year Consolidated Plan 2016-2020 will be printed in local newspapers and posted online on the St Charles County Community Development website at https://www.sccmo.org/203/Community-Development. Specific activities using CDBG-CV funding under the CARES Act are required to have a minimum of a 5-day public comment period.