Citizen Participation Plan

As required under the Consolidated Plan at §91.105

It is the policy of Weld County to ensure adequate citizen involvement in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of its housing and community development programs. Weld County has developed this Citizen Participation Plan in an effort to encourage citizen participation in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, specifically in the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan and Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report.

This Citizen Participation Plan is prepared and implemented in accordance with the guidance provided in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regulations 24 CFR Part 91.105. 

It is the intent of Weld County to encourage and facilitate the participation of all citizens in the development of the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, any substantial amendments to the plans and the performance report.

Additionally, the County encourages involvement of protected classes; low- and moderate-income persons, and those living in blighted areas where federal funding is proposed to be used. The county also welcomes the participation of minority populations, non-English speaking persons and persons with disabilities.

Consultations, direct mailings/emails and other contact will be made with local and county-wide organizations that serve those in protected classes, or that provide assisted housing, health services, and social services, including those focusing on services to children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities,
persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, and homeless persons.

Furthermore, consultations will be made with public housing authorities operating within the Weld County jurisdiction. During the consultation process, coordinated emphasis will be made to achieve comprehensive community development goals and ensure strategies and actions are taken to affirmatively further fair housing. Moreover, local and regional fair housing organizations and enforcement agencies will be consulted with.

Public hearings and public comments

Public hearings will be held at least twice per year at key stages of the process to obtain the public's views and to provide the public, to the greatest extent possible, with responses to their questions and comments. The County holds public hearings to obtain input regarding community needs during the development of the Assessment of Fair Housing and Consolidated Plan; to review proposed uses of the funds in each Annual Action Plan; and to review program performance in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report.

Weld County will hold at least two public hearings prior to the submission of the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan to HUD.

The initial public hearing will be held before the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan is published for comment. This will be both an informational session and an opportunity for citizens to comment on the housing and community development needs in the County. An overview of the CDBG program will be discussed, including the amount of funding anticipated benefiting low- to moderate-income persons and a review of the eligible activities. Pertinent planning data, including, but not limited to, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provided maps and data will also be made available. These initial public meetings will be will held in a variety of geographic locations and at varying times to broaden efforts to ensure access for all.

An additional public hearing will occur during the thirty (30) day comment period for the draft Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan. There will be a review of the draft and attendees will be given an opportunity to comment on the proposed plan. These comments will be incorporated into the final plan to the maximum extent possible and will also include the county's response to the comments.

A formal public notice will be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area at least fifteen (15) days prior to such public hearings. A public notice will also be posted at the County Administration Building 11500 Street, Greeley, Colorado, and in other places frequented by the public, especially low­ and moderate-income persons and persons benefiting from or affected by proposed CDBG activities. Information regarding the times and locations of public meetings can also be accessed on the County's web page at www.weldqov.com. Additionally, direct outreach to local and regional organizations that serve those in protected classes, assisted housing providers, public housing agencies, social service agencies, and advocacy groups, as well as their beneficiaries, will be utilized to broaden the efforts to provide notification.

Hearings will be held at times and locations convenient to potential and actual beneficiaries with accommodation for the handicapped. If non-English speaking or hearing -impaired residents request assistance to participate in a public hearing, the County will make arrangements to have an interpreter present given reasonable advanced notice. Instructions for making such request will be outlined in the public notice.

The draft Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan will be made available for public comment for a minimum of thirty (30) days. A notice of the public comment period, the locations where the plan is available for review, and a summary of the plan will be published in a newspaper of general circulation and will also be posted at the County Administration Building and in other places frequented by the public, especially low- and moderate-income persons and persons benefiting from or affected by proposed CDBG activities. The notice of the public comment period, as well as the draft, will be posted on the County's website at www.weldqov.com. Additionally, direct outreach to local and regional organizations that serve those in protected classes, assisted housing providers, public housing agencies, social service agencies, and advocacy groups, as well as their beneficiaries, will be utilized to broaden the efforts to notify all. A reasonable number of free copies of the plan will be available upon request by calling or visiting the County's Finance and Administration CDBG Office during regular business hours. During the comment period, at least one public hearing will be held.

A summary of the written and/or oral comments and the response to those comments will be included in the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan.

The draft Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for approval before it is submitted to HUD. The presentations will be made during regularly scheduled Board meetings which are open public meetings and streamed live.

In the event that substantial amendments to the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan are found necessary, a notice will be published by the same procedures indicated above for a thirty (30) day comment period and a public hearing. Any written or oral comments received will be considered and a summary will be attached to the substantial amendment of the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan/ and or Annual Action Plan.

A substantial amendment shall be defined as any one or more of the following:

1. A change in the fair housing goals in the Assessment of Fair Housing Plan.
2. Any addition or deletion of the established priorities or activities described in the Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan.
3. Any change in the purpose, location or beneficiaries of an identified project or activity.
4. A change in the scope of an activity, such that there is a 20% increase in the amount of money allocated to an activity.

Weld County will prepare a performance report for submission to HUD on an annual basis which is due within ninety (90) days of the close of the program year. This report, called the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), shall be made available at the County's Finance and Administration CDBG Office, on the County's web page at www.weldgov.com, and made available at public buildings in all participating municipalities for review by the public for no less than fifteen (15) days before the County submits the report to HUD. The availability of the document for review and the comment period will be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area and at the County Administration Building,1150 O Street, Greeley, Colorado, on the County's web page at www.weldgov.com and in other places frequented by the public; this notice will include a statement that directs all comments to the County. All comments received will be reviewed by Weld County and a written response will be made to each citizen submitting a comment within fifteen (15) days of receipt. A summary of the comments and responses will be included with the performance report.

Technical assistance

Weld County will gladly offer technical assistance to groups representative of protected classes and persons of low-and moderate-income when requested. The technical assistance includes, but is not limited to, developing potential proposals for funding, and information regarding the CDBG program, such as the rules, regulations and eligible activities.

Public information and records

In the spirit of improved accountability of jurisdictions to the public and in compliance with the terms of the law, the County has adopted a Residential Anti-Displacement and Relocation Assistance Plan in order to minimize the displacement of persons from their homes to the maximum extent possible. In the event that an occupied dwelling must be acquired and demolished as a result of the use of these federal dollars, the County will comply with the provisions of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended, as well as any other relocation regulations imposed by HUD. A complete version of the Residential Anti-Displacement and Relocation Assistance Plan is available at the County's Clerk to Board Office at 1150 0 Street, Greeley, Colorado and on the County's website at www.weldqov.com.

Citizens, public agencies, and other interested groups will be given reasonable and timely access to the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans as adopted, substantial amendments, the performance report, and other information and records regarding the Consolidated Plan and use of funding during the preceding five (5) years. Records are retained at the County's Finance and Administration CDBG Office, 1150 0 Street, Greeley, Colorado 80632. Reasonable and timely access is considered at least a 24 hour notice for a request to access the above records during regular office hours.

Information regarding the amount of assistance that the Weld County CDBG program expects to receive (including any grant funds or program income} and the range of activities that may be undertaken, including the estimated amount that will benefit persons of low-and moderate- income will be made available on the County's webpage and in an informational CDBG brochure. This brochure is updated annually and is available to citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties during public hearings, in various public locations throughout the County and on the County's webpage.

Written complaints and responses

Written complaints from the public about the County's citizen participation process, the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan. any amendments and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report will receive careful consideration and will be answered in writing within fifteen (15) working days of receipt of the complaint. If the complainant is unable to file a complaint due to disability, alternative filing methods will be allowed. Written complaints should be sent to the attention of the Weld County Clerk to the Board Office, 1150 0 Street, PO Box 758, Greeley, Colorado 80632.