A Federal Grant Program

*********Proposed 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and 2020-2021 Action Plan Now Available *********

 As an Entitlement Community receiving annual grants on a formula basis from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Town of Normal is required to craft and adopt a five-year Consolidated Plan and annual Action Plan detailing the goals for and use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in the community. The 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan summarizes all public and stakeholder input collected over the past 8 months and details priorities and objectives for spending over the course of the next five years (April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2025). The 2020-2021 Action Plan describes CDBG-funded projects and activities proposed for the period between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. This will be the first year of the Town’s new five-year Consolidated Plan. 

The Town’s annual entitlement grant for Program Year 2020-2021 is estimated to be approximately $396,000. In addition to the entitlement grant, the Town expects to have $2,000 in program income and approximately $395,744 in carryover funds from the prior program years. Proposed activities for Program Year 2020-2021 include:

• Continued funding to the Unity Community Center for after-school youth activities and to PATH’s Homeless Outreach Services Program ($59,400)
• Assistance for the rehabilitation and improved accessibility of housing for income-qualified residents through administration of the Town’s Homeowner Emergency Repair and Accessibility Program and partnerships with Habitat for Humanity McLean County and the local, Cornbelt Chapter of AMBUCS ($72,850)
• Funding for anti-housing discrimination assistance through a partnership with Prairie State Legal Services ($10,000)
• Funding for infrastructure improvements in income-qualified areas of the community, particularly for sidewalk and ADA ramp construction ($263,000)
• Funding for property acquisition for sidewalk right-of-way in income-qualified areas of the community ($30,000)
• Continued funding and staff involvement with the McLean County Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Housing Advisory Committee ($20,000)
• Funding for financial assistance to income-qualified home-buyers through the administration of the Town’s Down Payment Assistance Program ($45,000)
• Funding for the increased availability of affordable housing through the acquisition of properties for subsequent development by Habitat for Humanity of McLean County ($25,000)
• Funding for the rehabilitation of at least one section of sanitary sewer in a low- to moderate-income neighborhood ($23,884)
• Funding for the resurfacing of at least one street in a low- to moderate-income neighborhood ($225,420)
  
• Funding for general program administration (travel and training, advertising costs, etc.) ($19,190)

A public hearing was held to solicit comments on the proposed Consolidated Plan and Action Plan on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Café on the first floor of the Normal Public Library at 206 W College Avenue, Normal, IL 61761. The summary materials shared by staff at the hearing can be found here and by clicking on the image to the right.

Additionally, a 40-day public comment period was held from Tuesday, December 3, 2019, to Saturday, January 11, 2020. 

An electronic version of the proposed 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and 2020-2021 Action Plan is available here.  Hard copies of the proposed plans are available upon request at the Normal Public Library and the Town Clerk’s Office.