Hearings Set On Fairfield's Continuance in CDBG Program

Fairfield, CT -- The Town’s Department of Community & Economic Development will hold the first of two scheduled public hearings related to the Town’s continued participation in the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program on Tuesday, February 23, 2016. The meeting, which is open to the public, will begin at 6:00 p.m., and be held in the 2^nd Floor Conference Room of the Old Town Hall Building at 611 Old Post Road in Fairfield.

The purpose of the hearing is to solicit input on housing and community development needs in conjunction with the development of the Town’s Annual Action Plan. The Annual Action Plan identifies those projects and activities that the Town proposes to fund through the CDBG Program for the upcoming year, which begins on October 1, 2016. The Town expects to receive $460,148 in CDBG funds for the current program year.

The Town formally solicits project proposals once a year in conjunction with its CDBG planning and budgeting process. To be considered for CDBG funding, projects must be eligible to receive assistance under federal guidelines and meet one of three broad national objectives: (1) benefit persons or areas of low/moderate income, (2) eliminate conditions of slums and/or blight or (3) meet an urgent need within the community.  Applicants must also demonstrate that the proposed program or activity is consistent with the Town’s Five Year Plan, which describes the overall needs, resources, priorities and proposed actions of the community. 

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is authorized under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, and is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through its Office of Community Planning and Development. The primary objective of the CDBG program is the development of viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.  As a municipality with a population of more than 50,000 persons, the Town of Fairfield qualifies as an entitlement community, meaning that it receives an annual allocation of CDBG funds.

For further information please contact the Department of Community & Economic Development at 256-3120.