The public has three ways to weigh in on a draft proposal that outlines how to invest a little over $1.4 million in Covington neighborhoods, plus almost $700,000 on affordable housing in Covington and five surrounding cities.
The money represents the expected annual allocation from the CDBG and HOME federal grant programs. It’s unrelated to COVID-19 recovery funds and separate from the related HOME-ARP program.
The three ways:
• A public hearing on the draft Annual Action Plan will be held at 6 p.m. April 25 in the Commission chambers at 20 West Pike St.
• Written comments on the plan will be accepted until May 7 and should be sent to Federal Grants Manager Jeremy Wallace at jwallace@covingtonky.gov or by mail at the City of Covington, 20 W. Pike St., Covington, KY 41011.
• Comments and questions about the plan can also be submitted verbally by calling 859-292-2147 or TDD 800-545-1833, ext. 931.
(Photo from City of Covington)
See the draft of the CDBG/home Annual Action Plan on the City’s website for details of the proposed spending. Or you can stop by City Hall during normal business hours to see a printed copy.
The three basic goals for the programs are to provide decent housing, to provide a suitable living environment, and to expand economic opportunities.
“The Annual Action Plan shows how we intend to directly invest these funds in improving our neighborhoods and creating housing opportunities,” Wallace said. “We really want these funds to improve the quality of life of our residents.”
Community Development Block Grant program
The Community Development Block Grant program is earmarked for a wide variety of services and programs – primarily in low- and moderate-income areas – such as street and streetscape infrastructure, park improvements, crime prevention, parks and recreation, code enforcement, economic development, literacy, and housing rehab.
The City expects to get $1,433,981 in new funds for the coming year. Additional funds will be carried over from previous years. Some of the carryover money is already allocated to ongoing projects and some will be allocated to new projects.
The HOME Investment Partnerships Program
To spend money in the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Covington is part of a consortium that includes the cities of Ludlow, Erlanger, Newport, Bellevue, and Dayton.
The HOME budget includes $676,934 in new funds, plus additional carried-over funds.
In Covington, the HOME program typically funds homeownership programs, including down payment assistance to help people buy homes and housing development to create new homeownership opportunities.
City of Covington
