For Immediate Release
May 5, 2020
SDHDA Contact: Mark Lauseng
NOTICE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA) and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) are recipients of federal formula program funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As recipients of federal funds for the State of South Dakota, SDHDA and GOED are responsible for the creation and implementation of the Five Year Consolidated Plan and the Annual Action Plans (the Plans) that outline and document the planning and application process for the HUD programs: the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), the Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESG), the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and any additional funding programs that may become available.
The Plans examine the current housing situation, explores the housing and community development needs of the state, and sets priorities for spending the HUD formula program funds. Public comment is a vital component of exploring the state's housing and community development needs and setting spending priorities. The Plans offer the opportunity for strategic statewide planning to occur alongside citizen participation.
The Citizen Participation Plan outlines the policies and procedures that SDHDA and GOED will utilize to solicit citizen participation. The primary goal is to provide citizens, especially very low, low- and moderate-income residents, an opportunity to participate in an advisory role in the planning, implementation, and assessment of the programs and projects. The State of South Dakota expects to fund activities that address the needs of very low, low- and moderate-income residents in the categories of housing, public facility, infrastructure improvements, public service, accessibility and economic development.
In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the need to expediate actions to respond to COVID-19, South Dakota is amending its Citizen Participation Plan. The Citizen Participation Plan is being amended to expedite procedures, promoting and supporting “social distancing” while offering the public an opportunity to provide valuable citizen input into policies and procedures particularly as it relates to the administration and implementation of its federal programs.
Per the Mega-waiver issued by HUD on April 1, 2020, HUD waives 24 CFR 91.105(c)(2) and (k), 91.115(c)(2) and (i) in order to balance the need to respond quickly to the growing spread and effects of COVID-19 with the statutory requirement to provide reasonable notice and opportunity for citizens to comment on substantial amendments concerning the proposed uses of CDBG, HOME, HTF, HOPWA or ESG funds.
South Dakota submitted a written request to HUD Denver on April 24, 2020, requesting the ability to utilize the available waiver. Effective April 29, 2020, and consistent with the Mega-waiver issued by HUD on April 1, 2020, and for a period ending December 31, 2020, the following amendments are being made to the Citizen Participation Plan.
- Community input prior to drafting a substantial amendment to any previously approved annual action plan or consolidated plan, as it relates to the proposed funding availability or proposed uses of CDBG, HOME, HTF and/or ESG funds, is being waived
- The substantial amendments, once drafted, will be made available to the public for review and comment. Consistent with Mega-waiver, the State of South Dakota is amending the Citizen Participation Plan to reduce the public comment period for substantial amendments from 30 days to no fewer than five (5) days.
- To solicit citizen participation and input regarding any amendments to annual action plans or consolidated plan, the amendment will be posted in a prominent place on the SDHDA’s website, along with a Notice identifying the availability of the amendment for public review. The Notice will include the opportunity to provide electronic comments for a period of not less than five (5) days. As part of the Notice, the state will provide information on how citizens who have special needs may obtain the amendment in a form which is accessible to them. The Notice will also include the opportunity for the public to participate in a virtual public hearing process, by including the date, time and access information for the virtual public hearing, which will occur on the fourth (4th) day following the date the Notice is posted on SDHDA’s website and sent via email.
- The Notice will be sent via email to interested parties on SDHDA’s mailing list which includes public and Indian housing authorities, housing developers, public service agencies, local planning districts, units of local government, state offices, commercial lenders, rental management companies, advocacy services, homelessness service providers, domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, community action agencies, USDA Rural Development, economic development offices and individuals. Notices (paid ads) will not be published in newspapers of daily circulation.
SDHDA and GOED will prepare an amendment to any respective plan (annual action plan or consolidated plan), where applicable, and the amendment shall include a discussion of the amount of assistance South Dakota expects to receive, the range of activities it will undertake with this assistance, and, to the extent possible, the benefit to low- and moderate-income people of the proposed activities.
Any comments received during the five (5) day public comment period will be considered by the SDHDA and GOED before the final amended action plan is submitted to HUD. A summary of the comments and the agencies’ responses will be an attachment to the final amended action plan.
The procedures and actions discussed above will constitute South Dakota’s citizen participation plan for any substantial amendments, which may need to be made in the course of the 2020 program year. A "substantial amendment” to the plan is one which implements a change in the amount of available funding and the use or method of distributing those funds.
Amendment to the Citizen Participation Plan – May 2020:
The Amended Citizen Participation is available to the public for a five (5) day public comment period prior to implementation, and anyone interested may review and comment accordingly. This Notice of the Amended Citizen Participation Plan is being posted on SDHDA’s website and email notice will be sent to all interested parties. The five (5) day public comment period is May 5 – May 11, 2020. A virtual public hearing will be held May 8, 2020, at 2 PM, CDT via Skype for Business. Interested parties may access the meeting link via the SDHDA website – www.sdhda.org or they may join the meeting by conference call by calling 1-844-773-7615; conference ID: 52561.
Questions regarding the Amended Citizen Participation Plan can be directed to Lorraine Polak, Director of Rental Housing Development, SDHDA by email – lorraine@sdhda.org or by calling 605-773-3108.
Public comments regarding the Amended Citizen Participation Plan can be made by attending the virtual public hearing on May 8, or written comments may be sent to lorraine@sdhda.org. All comments are due by 5 pm CDT, May 11, 2020.
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About South Dakota Housing Development Authority: South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA) was created by the South Dakota legislature in 1973 with a stated mission to provide decent, safe and affordable housing to low- and moderate-income South Dakotans. SDHDA is a self-supporting, nonprofit entity. SDHDA utilizes housing bonds, tax credits and other federal and state resources to fund housing programs that provide mortgage and downpayment assistance, housing construction and rehabilitation, homelessness prevention and rental assistance. SDHDA does not discriminate against any person because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. For more information, visit www.sdhda.org
The South Dakota Housing Development Authority…Building A Better Quality of Life.
