2007 News

April 4 , 2007

Bucks County Commissioners Announce HUD Praise for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Management
County also recipient of $109,000 HUD Homeless Assistance Award

The Bucks County commissioners recently received an evaluation letter from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Acting Regional Director Brenda M. Laroche, in which the Bucks County Department of Community and Business Development garnered high praise for its 2005-2006 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) implementation.

“We congratulate Bucks County on its many accomplishments during this past year toward the achievement of departmental objectives,” Laroche wrote after reviewing Bucks County’s consolidated report.

The news came as no surprise to commissioners’ Chairman Charles H. Martin, who credited county department leaders for their vision. “In Bucks County, our commitment to service and excellence extends to all facets of the population. We will continue to target affordable housing and homeless facilities as important funding priorities,” he noted. “We also remain committed to assisting the county Department of Community and Business Development as it moves forward in the achievement of our annual- and five-year goals.”

During today’s bi-monthly commissioners’ meeting at the Bristol Borough municipal building, county Chief Operating Officer David Sanko added to the trend of good news by announcing the recent HUD approval of a $109,000 county homeless assistance application. In offering congratulations on that award, HUD Assistant Secretary Pamela H. Patenaude wrote, “We have been pleased with the impressive community-wide planning efforts presented in the (Bucks County) application submissions over the past several years. You should be proud that the project(s) listed on the enclosure, and identified by your community as high priorities, have been selected.”

Similarly, according to the HUD assessment of the county’s CDBG management, Bucks County “has consistently exceeded the primary objective of the Housing and Community Development Act to ensure that not less than 70 percent of CDBG expenditures are for activities that benefit low/moderate income persons.” Through the end of the reporting period, April 2005 to March 2006, Bucks’ low/moderate income expenditure total was 90 percent. Additionally, the letter cited significant county progress “in achieving the goals of providing decent housing and creating a suitable living environment.”

Federal officials highlighted the county’s goal of “increasing the supply of affordable housing,” detailing CDBG allocations that were used for the rehabilitation of 11 homeowner/rental units and 15 group homes. In the area of homeless population needs, ESG funding was “given to homeless assistance providers to aid their efforts to develop and promote a continuum of care” in the operational support of existing shelters, which assisted over 2,500 individuals during the reporting period. The three primary assistance providers include the American Red Cross, which operates its homeless shelter in Levittown, A Woman’s Place and the Bucks County Housing Group.

In preparing its analysis letter, HUD evaluated the county’s submission of the 2005 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). It also weighed technical assistance conversations with county staff, as well as the county’s ability to handle a variety of citizen comments.

Commissioners Martin, James F. Cawley, Esq. and Sandra A. Miller made their announcement in conjunction with National Community Development Block Grant Week (April 9-15), which commemorates the 33rd anniversary of Bucks County participation in the CDBG program. Enacted into law in 1974, the program is the principal federal method of providing grants to states, counties and municipalities to devise neighborhood approaches that will improve physical, economic and social conditions in local communities. Several citizen-members and township/borough officials serving on the board were at the meeting to receive a proclamation from the commissioners.

To access additional information about the Bucks County Department of Community and Business Development and its CDBG program, please visit the department's website.