Legal Notices

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY OF HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA CARES ACT CDBG-CV AND ESG-CV FUNDING AND THE FY 2019 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT As a Federal Entitlement, the City of Huntington, West Virginia (“City”) receives funding from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Programs. On March 27, 2020 the U.S. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136. According to the allocation of funds under that Act, the City of Huntington is a recipient of CDBG-CV and ESG-CV funds. In the first allocation of the Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds the City received $1,058,173 and in the first allocation of the Emergency Solutions Grant Coronavirus (ESG-CV) funds received $538,314. The City just received notice of a third allocation of funds from HUD for the Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Program in the amount of $264,852 and Emergency Solutions Grant Coronavirus (ESG-CV) funds in the amount of $559,361. The City will receive a total of $1,323,025 in Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) and $1,097,675 in Emergency Solutions Grant – Coronavirus (ESG-CV), The purpose of this public hearing is to present substantial amendments to the City of Huntington’s FY 2019 Annual Action Plans for the use of the FY 2020 CDBG-CV and ESG-CV funds. To expedite the disbursement of the City’s FY 2020 CDBG-CV and ESG-CV funds, via 24 CFR 5.110, the CARES Act authorizes HUD to grant waivers to the public notice, public comment, and citizen participation plan requirements found in 24 CFR 91.105I(2) and (k), 24 CFR 91.115I(2) and (i) and 24 CFR 91.401. In accordance with the City of Huntington’s Citizen Participation Plan and HUD’s regulatory requirement, waivers are granted which reduces the minimum 30-day public comment period to a 5-day period. A virtual public hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2020 to provide an opportunity for residents to comment on the proposed Substantial Amendment to its FY 2019 Annual Action Plan. The virtual public hearing will be broadcast on the City’s Facebook link (https://www.facebook.com/huntingtoncity/), the City’s website (https://www.cityofhuntington.com/), and on the City’s public access channel. IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS MEETING: In the interest of public health and safety, Huntington City Council Meetings will be closed to the public. However, in accordance with West Virginia open meetings laws, the meeting will be broadcast live on Governmental Access Channel 24 on Xfinity Cable, streamed live on the City of Huntington’s website at http://www.cityofhuntington.com/city-government/public-meetings/ and broadcast live on the City of Huntington, WV Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/huntingtoncity/. Members of the public who would like to submit appropriate comments or questions in advance for the public hearing are welcome to do so by emailing Ms. Melinda Midkiff, Financial Analyst/Emergency Shelter Grants, Department of Development and Planning for the City of Huntington via phone at (304) 696-5540, Ext. 2106; or TDD 711; or via email at [email protected]. The deadline to submit comments will be 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2020, and please be sure to include your name and address in the email. The City of Huntington adopted its current FY 2019 Annual Action Plan and Budget for the use of CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds on July 13, 2020. In accordance with CDBG, HOME, and ESG programs regulations, the City is allowed to make substantial amendments to its Annual Action Plan and Budget in accordance with the City’s Citizen Participation Plan. The City has determined that it is necessary to amend the approved program budgets for the previously approved program year for FY 2019. The CDBG-CV funds will be programmed for new projects/activities or an increase in existing projects/activities. This is considered a substantial amendment in accordance with the City’s Citizen Participation Plan as the following applies: there is an increase in the budget line item amount for existing projects/activities, and new projects/activities are proposed for funding. The substantial amendment to the FY 2019 Annual Action Plan is proposed as follows: CDBG-CV Activities: CDBG-CV-20-01 CDBG-CV General Administration: increase this project/activity budget by $52,970.40 for a new project/activity budget of $264,605. CDBG-CV-20-06 Contingency Fund: delete this project/activity in its entirety and reallocate a total of $105,817.30 to a new project/activity. CDBG-CV-20-09 Rent and/or Utility Assistance: create a new activity to assist with rent and/or utility assistance in the amount of $370,669.30 ESG-CV Activities: ESG-CV-20-01 ESG-CV Program: increase this project/activity budget by $559,361 for a new project/activity budget of $1,097,675. The additional ESG funds will be allocated to: Branches Domestic Violence Shelter for a new project/activity budget of $568,653.80. The City will also reallocate the $52,005.78 of unallocated ESG-CV funds from round 1 to Cabell-Huntington Coalition for the Homeless for a new project/activity budget of $453,017.60. The FY 2019 Annual Action Plan – Substantial Amendment is on public display for viewing by the public for a period of at least 5 days beginning on Thursday, October 15, 2020 and ending on Friday, October 23, 2020 at the City of Huntington’s website (https://www.cityofhuntington.com/). These documents will be available for public comment until Friday, October 23, 2020, after which time the plan will be presented to the Huntington City Council for approval at 7:30 PM on Monday, October 26, 2020 City Council Meeting. IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THIS MEETING: In the interest of public health and safety, Huntington City Council meetings will be closed to the public. However, in accordance with West Virginia open meetings laws, the meeting will be broadcast live on Governmental Access Channel 24 on Xfinity Cable, streamed live on the City of Huntington’s website at http://www.cityofhuntington.com/city-government/public-meetings/ and broadcast live on the City of Huntington, WV Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/huntingtoncity/. Members of the public who would like to submit appropriate comments in advance for any agenda item or for the good and welfare portion of the meeting are welcome to do so by emailing City Clerk Barbara Miller at [email protected] or Assistant City Clerk Lisa Adkins at [email protected]. The deadline to submit comments will be noon on the day of the meeting, and please be sure to include your name and address in the email. All interested residents are encouraged to view this virtual public hearing. All comments received by October 23, 2020 will be considered by the City of Huntington prior to submittal of the substantial amendment to City Council at their Monday, October 26, 2020 Virtual City Council Meeting. Written or oral comments may be addressed to Ms. Melinda Midkiff, Financial Analyst/Emergency Shelter Grants, Department of Development and Planning for the City of Huntington, WV until October 23, 2020, at Huntington City Hall, 800 Fifth Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701, or via phone at (304) 696-5540, Ext. 2106; TDD 711; or via email at MidkiffM@Huntingtonwv. gov. Steve Williams, Mayor LH-99443 10-7;2020