In 1995, HUD created the Consolidated Plan to serve as the planning document for state and local entitlement grantee governments. The Consolidated Plan is designed to help state and local jurisdictions assess their affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and to make data-driven investment decisions. The consolidated planning process serves as the framework for a community-wide dialogue to identify housing and community development priorities that align and focus funding from the Community Planning and Development (CPD) grant programs. HUD requires the submission of the Consolidated Plan to receive funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Grant, and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) and is statutorily required under Title 1 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, as amended.

The Consolidated Plan is a three-part document that consists of: 1) the Housing and Community Development Needs Assessment, 2) the Five Year Strategic Plan, and 3) the Year-One Action Plan.

• The Housing and Community Needs Assessment provides a profile of the community and its development needs through the presentation and analysis of local demographics, housing market and inventory conditions, and an inventory of existing affordable housing.

• The Five-Year Strategic Plan outlines the jurisdiction’s available community development resources and identifies its Housing and Community Development goals and priorities for the upcoming five-year period.

• Lastly, the Year-One Action Plan provides specific information describing the jurisdiction’s proposed programs, projects, and activities designed to address the goals and priorities outlined in the jurisdiction’s Consolidated Plan.  The Year-One Action Plan contains programmatic budgets for Fiscal Year 2020-2021.

Various sources of data have been utilized in the preparation of the 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan, including: surveying of residents, program beneficiaries, agencies, service providers, non-profit organizations, housing developers, and City departments. The documents used for the preparation of the Fiscal Year 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan include: 2006-2010 American Community Survey (ACS), 2010 census data (base year), 2013-2017 ACS (most recent year), HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) 2012-2016, and the City’s 2014-2021 Housing Element.

The following is a brief outline of the Housing and Community Development goals and priorities that have been identified and guide the City’s community and economic development activities over the next five years:  

• Provide decent and affordable housing;
• Address the needs of homeless individuals and those at risk of homelessness;
• Provide for a variety of community and supportive services;
• Address public facilities and infrastructure needs;
• Promote economic development employment opportunities; and
• Provide for planning and administration activities to address housing and community development needs in the City.

Prior to finalizing the 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan, the City is required to provide a 30-day public review and comment period.  A public notice announcing the commencement of the public review and comment period was published on May 22, 2020, in the Orange County Register, Nguoi Viet Daily News, and Excelsior.  The review and comment period for the Fiscal Year 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan ends on June 23, 2020.      

On June 1, 2020, the Neighborhood Improvement and Conservation Commission (NICC) held a public hearing to accept comments on the Consolidated Plan and Action Plan.  The minutes from that meeting are attached.  The Commission voted to transmit the plan to the City Council for consideration. 

In addition to providing for public review and comment through a 30-day review period, HUD regulations require that local jurisdictions conduct a public hearing prior to the submission of the Consolidated Plan to further provide an opportunity for public review and comment.

There is no financial impact to the General Fund.  The proposed Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Action Plan will allow the City to access approximately $3 million in new entitlement grants from HUD, and $1.8 million in unexpended prior year funds.  The allocation of HUD funds effectively leverages competitive grants, homeowners’ rehabilitation contributions, and the City’s General Fund.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Conduct a Public Hearing to receive comments concerning the 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan and FY 2020-2021 Annual Actual Plan; and

• Direct staff to transmit the Plan to HUD.