2024 07-16 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 20, 2024 Mayor Gretchen Artig-Swomley Melissa Lawrence, City Clerk City of Gem Lake 4200 Otter Lake Road Gem Lake, MN 55110 Dear Mayor Artig-Swomley and Ms. Lawrence, Ramsey County has been an Entitlement Urban County and received an annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since 1986. This money has been used to undertake housing and community development activities primarily benefiting the low and moderate-income residents of suburban Ramsey County. Since 1992, the Home Investment Partnerships Act (HOME) program has also been a resource for the County. Ramsey County’s eligibility for both programs and the actual dollar amount received are based on the total population of jurisdictions choosing to participate. Sixteen suburban communities have chosen to participate in the agreement process over the past thirty years, ensuring a guaranteed annual allocation for the County and those suburban municipalities that desire to actively participate in the program. Our records show that since 1985 your community has signed cooperative agreements with the county to ensure eligibility. The agreement provides for automatic renewal unless a municipality notifies the county in writing by July 19, 2024 that it wishes to opt out of the agreement. Ramsey County may need to have municipalities sign amendments this year to include sample cooperation agreement language that was contained in the 2024 CPD Notice issued by HUD. We are waiting for a determination on that issue. If needed, the amendment will be sent to you within the next 30 days and will need to be signed by an authorized signatory for the municipality and returned to Ramsey County within 30 days. HUD requires that all participants be notified that: 1. if a municipality chooses to remain with the urban county, it is ineligible to apply for grants under the State CDBG program (Small Cities) while part of the urban county; 2. if a municipality is part of the urban county, it is also a participant in the HOME program; and 3. if a municipality elects to “opt-out” it may not have an opportunity to participate with the urban county for the next three years. INCLUSION IN THE COUNTY ENTITLEMENT DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT YOU ACTIVELY PARTICPATE IN THE PROGRAM. IT DOES PROVIDE THE COUNTY WITH THE NEEDED POPULATION TO QUALIFY AND INFLUENCES OUR ANNUAL ALLOCATION.