Public Hearings & Community Survey Announced for CDBG Assistance to Address COVID-19 Economic Recovery Needs

Picture of Memorial City Hall, 24 South Street, Auburn, NY
Picture of Memorial City Hall

City of Auburn, Community Development Block Grant Program Public Hearing Notice

The City of Auburn Office of Planning and Economic Development is preparing a proposed Citizen Participation Plan Amendment and proposed Fifth Year Annual Action Plan Amendment (PY 2019) for the use of Community Development Block Grant CV funds. The Office of Planning and Economic Development obtained a waiver from HUD for the implementation of a five day comment period and will accept comments on the proposed Citizen Participation Plan and 2019 Annual Action Plan Amendments for a five day period beginning Monday, May 11, 2020 and ending on Friday, May 15, 2020.

Additionally, The Office of Planning and Economic Development obtained a waiver from HUD to amend the Citizen Participation Plan to reflect guidance from HUD for a shortened public comment period and a change in public hearing process due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In accordance with the City of Auburn’s Citizen Participation Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Program, the following is a summary of programming for the proposed PY 2019 Annual Action Plan Amendment that will include the additional $523,452. in CDBG-CV funding that the City of Auburn received in April 2020 as part of the Federal CARES stimulus funding package.

  • Housing Programs including Home Repair Emergency Assistance programming, Foreclosure Prevention, and Rental Assistance.
  • Human Service Agency Programming to assist with community needs affected by COVID-19 Pandemic.
  • Economic Development Assistance to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Administration for the delivery, oversight, and administration of program funds.

Copies of the proposed Citizen Participation Plan and the PY Annual Action Plan Amendment are available at these links:

Citizen Participation Plan and PY 2019 Annual Action Plan Amendment

or contact the Office of Planning and Economic Development, Memorial City Hall, 24 South Street, Auburn, NY or by calling the Office of Planning and Economic Development at 315-255-4115 for a hard copy.

Public Hearings

Two public hearings on the proposed Citizen Participation Plan and PY 2019 Annual Action Plan Amendment will be held on

  1. Monday, May 11, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Click here to register for the 10:00 a.m. teleconference
  2. Monday, May 11, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Click here to register for the 5:00 p.m. teleconference

Both Public Hearings will be held via teleconference (WebEx) in the Council Chambers of Memorial City Hall, 24 South Street. Please click the respective link above for teleconference (WebEx) registration information to the meeting.  All participants must register prior to the meeting start times. Comments on the plan are welcomed at these public hearings.

Written comments may also be submitted for individuals interested in contributing comments, but not verbal presentations.  Please submit written comments to:  City of Auburn, Office of Planning and Economic Development, Memorial City Hall, 24 South Street, Auburn, NY 13021.  Comments may also be submitted by email.

CDBG SURVEY

The City of Auburn is working with the United Way of Cayuga County's Cayuga Community Task Force to identify needs of nonprofit agencies and the community that have been impacted by COVID-19. The survey results will help inform how to best assist the City with planning, collaboration and funding decisions. The City of Auburn's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) received additional funding through the Federal CARES Act (see announcement below). At this time, the City of Auburn is looking for your input and feedback (through this survey) on how the funding can best be utilized to make a difference for our nonprofit organizations and community needs.  This CDBG funding is specifically to address matters that have been impacted due to the COVID-19 crisis, your organization's input will assist with directing the funding to what community needs are as a result of the current COVID-19 crisis.  The survey will be open until May 10, 2020.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

Auburn Will Receive Additional CDBG Assistance to Address COVID-19 Economic Recovery Needs

The Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) provided $5 billion for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to enable nearly 1,240 states, counties, and cities to rapidly respond to COVID-19 and the economic and housing impacts caused by it.  The City of Auburn will receive assistance under this initiative and the City’s allocation is anticipated to be over $500,000.  City of Auburn staff is in the process of learning more about the details of when the assistance will be allocated and specifically how the funding will be able to be used.  “This is certainly great news for our City and adds another tool to the tool box that will be used in partnership with the Cayuga Economic Development Agency (CEDA) as we coordinate economic response and recovery for Auburn and Cayuga County,” stated Jennifer Haines, Director of the City of Auburn Department of Planning and Economic Development.

“These additional CDBG funds will provide much needed assistance for Auburn.  We now face the reality that the shutdown of our economy due to the COVID-19 crisis will last for several more weeks.  This has hurt our small and large businesses and is taking a toll on local non-profit agencies.  Assistance will certainly be needed and we thank our U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman John Katko for making sure these funds were included in the recently passed CARES Act,” stated Mayor Michael D. Quill.

Additionally the City announced that CDBG and Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) Loans administered by the City of Auburn and CEDA are being granted at least 60 days forbearance.  This includes CDBG Small Business; CDBG Home Repair; CDBG Special Development; and, UDAG Loans.  Loan holders are being contacted and any loan holders that need more information should contact Tiffany Beebee, Senior Planner by phone 315-253-3518 or email tbeebee@auburnny.gov.

The City of Auburn is coordinating in partnership with the Cayuga Economic Development Agency (CEDA) on all matters pertaining to the impact on local business and non-profit agencies and finding resources for economic assistance.  The City of Auburn encourages all local businesses or non-profits that are impacted by this COVID-19 crisis to contact CEDA. 

“We urge all businesses and non-profits in Auburn and Cayuga County to contact us and a CEDA specialist will work with you to identify the programs and assistance that will work for you.  The COVID-19 response continues to evolve and we can assist with sorting all the information out in an efficient manner,” stated Tracy Verrier, Executive Director of CEDA.  

CEDA has released a Coronavirus Response Survey to collect inquiries from Cayuga County businesses in regard to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Businesses of all types and sizes that are in need of financial and technical assistance resources are encouraged to complete the survey, which can be accessed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F3TGTTF. Any Cayuga County business can call a CEDA specialist to discuss their current needs. Support from a CEDA specialist is always free and confidential. 

CEDA specialists are staying current on resources made available in the Federal CARES Act to assist businesses and will work with each business individually to identify the most appropriate resource for that business.  In addition to State and Federal resources, CEDA has established an Emergency Microloan program to assist locally owned small businesses. This program will provide relatively small, but favorable, loans with an initial no interest deferment period followed by an extended low-interest repayment period. This program is intended to provide some breathing room by helping with some operating costs and/or help businesses invest in measures to adjust operations.

Businesses are encouraged to fill out the survey or reach out to CEDA staff no matter what level of need they have, and regardless of financial history, to discuss options for their business. Businesses that respond to the survey will be contacted by a member of the CEDA team or referred to an Auburn SCORE Chapter mentor depending upon the need they describe in the survey. Businesses that are unable to access or complete the survey can reach out to a CEDA specialist directly.

How to contact CEDA:  Free and confidential guidance from CEDA staff is available to all Cayuga County businesses. Please contact the following individual initially to discuss your needs and be directed to the appropriate resource:

Businesses with fewer than 10 employees: Derek Simmonds, dsimmonds@cayugaeda.org or 315-252-3500 x 232

Businesses with more than 10 employees: Danielle Szabo, dszabo@cayugaeda.org or 315-252-3500 x 231