Community Development

The Planning Division administers the Erie County Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partner

About:

The Planning Division administers the Erie County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Consortiums. These comprise 34 and 37 communities, respectively, in Erie County that have banded together to receive federal funds. These monies are used for a variety of community planning/improvement projects, housing programs, and economic development programs. The Community Development program year runs from April 1st through March 31st.

News:

February 2, 2018: RFP #1803VF is released. Erie County is seeking proposals from Emergency Shelters for the ESG Program. Proposals are due March 2, 2018.
January 12, 2018: Draft 2018 Community Development Action Plan of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan 2015-2019
September 20, 2017: Informational Meeting: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HOME REPAIRS
September 6, 2017: Citizens Forum for the 2018 Community Development Plan
July 12, 2017: 2017 Final Action Plan for Community Development
July 6, 2017: FINAL 2016 Consolidated Annual Performance Report (CAPER)
April 21, 2017: National Community Development Week Press Event
In accordance with Initiatives for a Smart Economy 2.0, Erie County’s Department of Environment and Planning is assisting municipalities with comprehensive plan updates. Please see the Comprehensive Plan Updates page for more information.

Housing Programs:

Housing Rehabilitation Program
Rental Rehabilitation Program
Mobile Home Repair Program
Housing Accesibility Program
Utility Connection Program
Fair Housing Program

Reports & Documents:

Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. Persons who are protected from discrimination by fair housing laws are referred to as members of the protected classes. Equal and free access to residential housing (housing choice) is a fundamental right that enables members of the protected classes to pursue personal, educational, employment or other goals. Because housing choice is so critical to personal development, fair housing is a goal that government, public officials and private citizens must embrace if equality of opportunity is to become a reality.

HUD defines an impediment to fair housing choice as any actions, omissions or decisions that restrict or have the effect of restricting the availability of housing choices, based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin.

The Analysis of Impediments (AI) serves as the basis for fair housing planning, provides essential information to policy makers, administrative staff, housing providers, lenders, and fair housing advocates, and assists in building public support for fair housing efforts. The governmental bodies of the five jurisdictions will review the AI and use it for direction, leadership and resources for future fair housing planning. The AI will also serve as a point-in-time baseline against which future progress in terms of implementing fair housing initiatives will be evaluated and recorded.

The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice report will be reviewed by the members of the Consortium in June.

Program Year Community Development and Housing Highlights:

2018

Twelve Community Projects will be funded in 2018. This represents a total of $1,374,434. Projects funded are as follows:
- City of Lackawanna – Madison Avenue, Jackson Avenue and Elm Street Milling and Paving Project - $100,000
- City of Tonawanda – Wheeler Street Sanitary Sewer Lining - $100,000
- Town of Grand Island – Town Hall Handicap Accessible Elevator - $100,000
- Town of North Collins – Lawtons Water Project - $100,000
- Town of Marilla – Town Hall Handicap Accessible Elevator Installation -$91,080
- Town of West Seneca – Road Milling and Resurfacing Project: Benson Avenue, Dirkson Avenue and Wichita Road - $100,000
- Town of Elma – Senior Center Roof and Building Rehabilitation - $62,670
- Town of Newstead – Kitchen Equipment for Newstead Senior Center - $25,684
- Village of Lancaster – Brady Avenue and Cambria Street Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction - $100,000
- Village of Alden – Elm Street Sidewalk Replacement - $100,000
- Various Communities - Rural Transit Service: $270,000
- Infrastructure improvements within low/moderate-income areas of the Consortium will continue to be a focus. Projects include sidewalk replacements, water/sewer work and street improvements.
- The Rural Transit Service (RTS) Program operates within 25 of the 34 Consortium municipalities. It is a popular and successful human service for low/moderate-income residents as well as senior citizens.
- The Housing Rehabilitation, Rental Rehabilitation and Mobile Home Repair programs continue to be very successful with wait lists in effect for each program. Priority is given to those residing in target areas and older housing stock, as well as having lower incomes. The Rental Rehabilitation Program will assist in improving more homes this year. A new program that began in 2017 is the Lead Remediation Program. This is a grant program for homeowners with children under the age of 6 with lead hazards in the home.
- Three economic development projects will be funded this year. This represents a total of $157,019, as well as a Smart Growth project in the Village of Alden for $325,000. The Smart Growth project will fund physical improvements to the north side of Broadway in the Village’s Central Business District. Improvements will include sidewalk replacement, new benches and lighting.
- Two significant smart growth projects were completed in 2017 within the Villages of Angola and Gowanda. The project in the Village of Angola included construction of a sidewalk on Mill Street and the installation of ADA accessible playground equipment at Herman Park. The project in the Village of Gowanda involved improvements to South Water Street at Creekside Park. Those improvements included parking lot paving, new curbs, benches and lighting.