Published: 3/1/2021
03/00007DN CITY OF MARY ESTHER FFY2020 CDBG-CV Program FIRST PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The City of Mary Esther is considering applying to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) for funding through the FFY2020 Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Program. The City of Mary Esther is eligible to apply for a minimum of $200,000 and a maximum of $5 million in CDBG-CV Program funding. This funding may be used only to cover costs associated with preparing for, responding to, or recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects funded through the CDBG-CV Program must meet one of the following National Objectives: 1. Provide benefit to low-and moderate-income (LMI) persons; 2. Prevent or eliminate slum or blight conditions; or 3. Address community development needs with particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available. Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to, the following: Buildings and Improvements, Including Public Facilities: Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, or installation of public works, facilities, and site or other improvements. Rehabilitate a facility for testing, diagnosis or treatment. Reconstruction of roads/sidewalks (expansion) to allow for social distancing. Acquire and rehabilitate, or construct, a group living facility that may be used to centralize patients undergoing treatment. Installation of wiring, fiber optic cables, and permanently affixed equipment such as receivers for areas to receive broadband/internet access. Rehabilitation of buildings and improvements Rehabilitate a senior center, community center or homeless shelter by replacing the HVAC system and/or installing air purification system. Acquisition and/or rehabilitation of a building to expand capacity of homeless shelters to accommodate social distancing and isolation. Installation of Wi-Fi routers/extenders in affordable housing buildings for LMI residents. Assistance to Businesses, including Special Economic Development Assistance Provision of assistance to private, for-profit entities, when appropriate to carry out an economic development project. Provide loans to support new businesses or business expansion to create jobs and manufacture medical supplies necessary to respond to infectious disease. Provision of assistance to microenterprises. Provide technical assistance, grants and other financial assistance to establish, stabilize and expand microenterprises that provide medical, food delivery, cleaning, and other services to support home health and quarantine. Public Services Provision of assistance to primarily Low-and-Moderate Income persons. Carry out job training to expand the pool of health care workers and technicians that are available to treat disease within a community. Provide testing, diagnosis, or other services at a fixed or mobile location. Provide equipment, supplies, and materials necessary to carry-out a public service (e.g., childcare for working parents with distance learning school kids). Deliver meals on wheels to quarantined individuals or individuals that need to maintain social distancing due to medical vulnerabilities. Installation of wiring, fiber optic cables, and permanently affixed equipment such as receivers for families to receive broadband/internet access. Planning Planning Only Grants Gather data and develop non-project specific emergency infectious disease response plans. Project Planning Planning activities in conjunction with another eligible activity (e.g., preliminary engineering with sidewalk project, economic impact study with business assistance program). Additional information regarding the range of eligible activities that could be funded through the CDBG-CV Program will be provided at the public hearing. In developing a prospective CDBG-CV Program application, the City of Mary Esther must consider the potential for displacement of persons and plan to minimize displacement of persons as a result of any proposed activities. In addition, the City of Mary Esther is required to develop a plan to assist displaced persons. A public hearing to obtain citizen comment concerning the City's prospective CDBG-CV Program application will be held at the City of Mary Esther Council Chambers, 195 Christobal Road, N., Mary Esther, FL 32569 on March 8, 2021 at 5:00 PM. The meeting may also be attended virtually. Check the Citys website or contact Dana Williams, City Clerk at (850) 243-3566 ext. 11 for the meeting link. The public hearing is being conducted in a handicapped accessible location. Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in the hearing is asked to advise the City at least five calendar days prior to the hearing by contacting Dana Williams, City Clerk at (850) 243-3566 ext. 11. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the City using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800) 955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800) 955-8770 (Voice). Any non-English speaking person wishing to attend the public hearing should contact Dana Williams, City Clerk at (850) 243-3566 ext. 11 at least five days prior to the hearing and an interpreter will be provided. THE CITY OF MARY ESTHER IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, SECTION 504, AND FAIR HOUSING JURISDICTION. THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THE EMPLOYMENT OF SECTION 3 & W/MBE PERSONS. 3/1/2021 03/00007DN