Seeking Community Input:

The City of Santa Cruz is developing its 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan which provides the basis for how the City applies for, receives, and distributes U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant funding for the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Programs.

Over the period covered by the 2020-2025 Consolidated Plan, the City can expect to receive about $3.75 to $4.5 million in HUD funding. A portion of this will be used for administration (about 10-15%) with the remainder allocated through annual CDBG and HOME Program budgets as approved by the City Council. HOME Program funds are used exclusively for housing or housing programs while CDBG funds can be used for social services, community facilities, infrastructure, housing, special code enforcement, and economic development. The majority of funding allocated to the City is reserved for the CDBG Program. HUD grant funds are used to help low income areas or households.

Generally HUD grants can only be used within the City’s boundaries or to assist City residents. This is true even when a City funded activity falls under an area of County responsibility. Although City CDBG grant funds can never be used to replace County funding for a program or project, they do allow the City to better prioritize and serve City needs. When responding to the survey question that touches on County responsibility, please consider your input only from a City perspective.

Call for Funding Requests:

The City of Santa Cruz receives federal funds each year through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program and HOME Program to provide funding for activities and programs aimed at achieving the following:

• Provide decent housing
• Establish and maintain a suitable living environment; and
• Expand economic development opportunities
• Provide decent affordable housing to lower-income households
• Expand the capacity of nonprofit housing providers
• Strengthen the ability of state and local governments to provide housing
• Leverage private-sector participation

The City receives approximately $600,000 in CDBG funds each year from HUD. For the City of Santa Cruz CDBG funds typically provide a limited amount of ongoing funding for social service providers as well as help fund improvements to community facilities community centers such as Familia Center and the Beach Flats Community Center, recreation facilities such as the Raymond Street Park, Homeless Services Center facilities, and community service facilities such as expansion of the Santa Cruz Woman’s Health Center. Learn more and apply.

The Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program was created by the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 (NAHA) and is also administered by HUD. The intent of the HOME program is to provide affordable housing opportunities to lower-income households through direct assistance and partnerships with nonprofit housing providers, private-sector lenders and developers, and government agencies. The City receives about $550,000 in HOME entitlement funds each year. Learn more and apply.

The deadline for the CDBG application has been extended to Friday, January 24th, 2020 at 3:30pm due to NEW supplemental questions (section II) added to application. The HOME application deadline remains Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 5pm.

For questions about either of these programs please contact Tiffany Lake at 831-420-5109 or email.