Section 498-9-1 - PROGRAM OVERVIEWA. CDBG OBJECTIVES The objective of the Maine CDBG Program is to serve as a catalyst for local governments to implement programs which:
1. benefit low and moderate income people;2. are part of a long range community strategy;3. improve deteriorated residential and business districts and local economic conditions;4. provide the conditions and incentives for further public and private investment; and5. foster partnerships between groups of municipalities, State and federal entities, regional organizations and the private sector to address common community and economic development problems with innovative solutions that maximize resources.B. METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION STRUCTURE The DECD, through the Office of Community Development (OCD), designs and offers programs allowing municipalities to achieve CDBG stated objectives. Toe purpose of the 1994 Final Statement is to provide units of local government with a description of the selection criteria for each program (called a method of distribution) that OCD will use to allocate CDBG funds among Maine communities. To assist communities in determining which program(s) best meet their needs, we have grouped the 1994 programs under three broad methods of distribution areas: Community Development, Economic Development and Planning/Technical Assistance.
1. Community Development Methods of Distribution a. Housing Assistance Grants: To provide financing to address acute housing needs of low and moderate income persons residing in the State of Maine.b. Public Facilities/Infrastructure Grants: To provide financing for local infrastructure and public facility activities.c. Public Service Grants: To address human resource needs in a community by providing funding for operating expenses, equipment and program materials for public service programs.d. Urgent Need Grants: TO enable communities to address community development needs having a particular urgency.e. Reserved Grants: To provide funding for the second year of a Housing Assistance or Public Facilities/Infrastructure grant initially determined in the previous year.2. Economic Development Methods of Distributiona. Development Fund: To provide financial resources to local governments which in turn assist businesses to create/retain jobs for low and moderate income people.b. Regional Assistance Fund: To provide financial resources to local governments or regional organizations which can use the assistance as leverage to obtain funds under the EDA Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (Title IX) and the EDA Public Works Program (Title I), Farmer's Home Administration Programs, and Small Business Administration Programs.c. Micro-Loan Program: To provide communities with funds for small loans to assist existing and new local businesses create/retain jobs for low and moderate income individuals.d. Economic Development infrastructure Grants: lb provide funding to communities where public infrastructure must be installed or improved to enable an existing or new business to create/retain jobs for low and moderate income people.e. Interim Finance Program: To utilize funds not disbursed in the State's letter of Credit for grants to communities to assist businesses or developers create housing and job opportunities for low and moderate income people through short-term loans.3. Planning/Technical Assistance Methods of Distribution a. Phase II Planning Grants: lb assist communities in the final development of their CDBG strategies that address specific community development problems.b. General Purpose Planning Grants: To provide funding to communities or community partnerships that have clearly identified a local community or economic development problem and lack the resources to develop a strategy for solving that problem.c. Comprehensive Planning Grants: To enable Maine's municipalities to develop comprehensive plans to prepare for and manage their future growth and development.d. Quality Main Street Strategy Grants: to provide financial assistance to communities for the development of strategies to revitalize main streets and downtowns.e. Defense conversion Planning Grants: to provide financial assistance to community partnerships that will he affected by defense reductions and lack the resources to develop a multi-jurisdictional strategy to ameliorate impacts to local and regional economies.C. STATE ADMINISTRATION 1. General Administration Allocation: The DECD, through OCD, pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (through October 28, 1992), Section 106(d) (3) (A) is permitted and will utilize $100,000 plus 2% of its annual allotment from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist in administering the State's Small Cities CDBG Program in accordance with Federal, State and local requirements.2. Technical Assistance Administration Allocation: The DECD, through OCD, pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (through October 28, 1992), Section 106(d) (5) is permitted and will utilize 1% of its annual allotment from HUD to provide technical assistance to local governments and nonprofit program recipients.D. PROGRAM TIMEFRAME All application deadlines are listed below.
| Housing Assistance. | January 14, 1994 |
| Public Facilities/infrastructure | January 27, 1994 |
| Economic Development Infrastructure | February 11, 1994 |
| Micro-Loan | February 15, 1994 |
| Public Service | February 25, 1994 |
| General Purpose Planning | April 8, 1994 |
| Quality Main Street Strategy | May 9, 1994 |
| Defense Conversion Planning Grants | May 9, 1994 |
| Urgent Need | 1st come basis after February 1, 1994 |
| Development Fund | 1st Thursday of month |
| Regional Assistance | see Section 3.B.4.(a) |
| Interim Finance Program | 1st come basis |
E. PROGRAM BUDGET The budget on the next page indicates the manner in which CDBG Funds will be allocated among programs for the 1994 grant year. The total budget is comprised of a federal allocation from HUD, along with a State match equivalent of up to 2% of the federal allocation. The amount of the 1994 federal allocation will be $14,339,000. Based on the federal amount, the maximum amount available for each program is indicated in the following budget.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM BUDGET
GRANT YEAR 1994
| FY 1994 CDBG Program Budget 1 | $14,339,000 |
| Administration 386,780 |
| Technical Assistance Administration | 143,390 |
| MAXIMUM BUDGET |
| 1. Housing Assistance Grants | 3,075,000 |
| 2. Public Facilities/Infrastructure Grants | 3,000,000 |
| 3. Public Service Grants | 300,000 |
| 4. Urgent Needs Grants | 300,000 |
| 5. Reserved Grants | 1,600,000 |
| 6. Development Fund | 1,450,000 |
| 7. Regional Assistance Fund | 843,830 |
| 8. Micro Loan Program | 500,000 |
| 9. Economic Development Infrastructure Program | 1,500,000 |
| 10. Interim Finance Program 2 | See Below |
| 11. Phase II Planning Grants | 100,000 |
| 12. General Purpose Planning Grants | 350,000 |
| 13. Growth Management Planning Grants | 110,000 |
| 14. Quality Main Street Strategy Grants | 480,000 |
| 15. Defense Conversion Planning Grants | 200,000 |
1 The total program budget is comprised of a projected federal allocation of $14,339,000 plus a State match to equal at least $286,780 (which is 2% of the federal allocation).
2 The budget for Me Interim Finance Program is comprised of monies not yet disbursed from each of the other programs. These monies are lent on a short term basis, The maximum budget for this program is $5,000,000. This program is capitalized only as loans are issued.
19- 498 C.M.R. ch. 9, § 1