The City of Kalamazoo is preparing its 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan and needs your help!
The Consolidated Plan is a five-year plan that provides a basis and strategy for the use of the City’s Federal entitlement funds, including the Community Development Black Grant (CDBG) and the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME). Decisions on how these critical funds are allocated and prioritized will be based on this Plan.
HOW YOUR INPUT HELPS
Public input is a critical part of developing this strategy. In order to understand the priorities of the community, a series of neighborhood input sessions were hosted throughout the City at various dates and times to give community members plenty of opportunities to attend. (Click here for the schedule of public meetings.) Residents could attend any meeting convenient for them regardless of the neighborhood in which they live.
Please note that these public input opportunities and this planning effort are separate from the Plan Kalamazoo update to the City’s Master Plan. The sessions discussed different issues and topics and all citizens were encouraged to attend.
In addition to the public meetings, the City is also soliciting information from residents online (click here to provide online feedback and review additional information regarding the Consolidated Plan). Here, additional information about the Plan is provided as well as opportunities for you to provide input on the Plan and its priorities.
The Community Development Act Advisory Committee (CDAAC) held a meeting on October 8 at 6:30 pm where the public input and feedback collected to that point was reviewed.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
CDAAC will host the first of two public hearings regarding the draft Consolidated Plan at their Thursday, November 12th meeting at 6:30 pm in the 3rd floor Conference Room at City Hall (241 W. South St.). The second public hearing will be on Thursday, January 14th, 2010 at the 2nd floor Community Room at City Hall (241 W. South St.) at 6:30 pm. Click here for the notice posted in the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Anyone with questions regarding the Consolidated Plan or the Neighborhood Meetings may email them to plan@kalamazoocity.org or to gmilliken@mcka.com. You may also call McKenna Associates Inc. at (269) 382-4443 or the City’s Community Planning and Development Department at (269) 337-8044.
DRAFT
A draft of the Consolidated Plan is now available for your review. We have entered the 30-day public review period (November 20 to December 20), and we invite you to review the draft during this period and submit your comments and feedback for consideration and incorporation into the draft prior to the second public hearing (January 14). Comments received during the public review period are included in the official record and responded to in the document. Further, by commenting now, it provides ample time to make adjustments and changes as necessary to the document prior to the public hearing.
The draft Plan is available for download and review here. Hard copies of the draft Plan are also available for review at the following locations:
· City of Kalamazoo Development Center (445 W. Michigan Ave.)
· Kalamazoo Public Library, Central Brach (315 S. Rose St.)
· Neighborhood Associations – Eastside, Edison, Fairmont, Northside, Oakwood, Stuart, and Vine
Comments on the plan may be submitted in a variety of ways:
· Email to gmilliken@mcka.com or laml@kalamazoocity.org
· Mail or delivery to City of Kalamazoo, 445 W. Michigan Ave., Suite 101, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
· Mail or delivery to McKenna Associates, 151 S. Rose St., Suite 920, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
· Submitted online via feedback form at www.kalamazoocity.org/consolidatedplan
NOTICE OF AVAILABLE DRAFT
On November 20, 2009, the City of Kalamazoo will release a draft of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan for a required 30-day public review and comment period. Drafts will be available for review at the central, downtown branch of the Kalamazoo Public Library (315 S. Rose St.) and at the City of Kalamazoo’s Development Center (445 W. Michigan Ave.). A draft of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan will be available online as well.
PURPOSE
In the Consolidated Plan, the City of Kalamazoo has estimated the housing needs of its extremely low, low, and moderate income families. The estimate includes the needs of homeless individuals and families, the housing and service needs of special needs populations, the availability of unassisted housing, and the availability of assisted housing. It also provides an estimate of the resources expected to be available to meet the needs.
On the basis of this information, the City of Kalamazoo has developed a strategy for meeting housing needs over the next five years. For the City of Kalamazoo to continue to be eligible to receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds, and Emergency Shelter Grand (ESG) funds, the Act requires that the Plan be approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
PRIORITIES FOR ASSISTANCE
Based on an analysis of housing and community development needs within the City of Kalamazoo, public input sessions, and public hearings, the following priorities for assistance have been developed for use in the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan:
• Rehabilitation and maintenance of existing housing stock
• Continued commitment to affordable housing
• Neighborhood based economic development, recruitment, and employment opportunities and training
• Provide opportunities for youth engagement and establish programming to reduce crime
• Infrastructure rehabilitation to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods and better accommodate special needs populations
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties are invited to submit written comments on the City of Kalamazoo’s Consolidated Plan. Public comment on the draft will be received for a period of thirty (30) days from November 20, 2009 until December 20, 2009. Written comments may be sent to: McKenna Associates, 151 S. Rose St., Suite 920, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Comments must be received in writing in order to be acknowledged by the Plan.
For questions, please contact McKenna Associates, Inc. (382-4443) or the City of Kalamazoo Community Planning and Development Department (337-8044).
