Fulton Wants Input On Plan To Improve Living Conditions For Less Fortunate Residents

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Fulton County is asking its residents to review and comment on its Annual Action Plan and Consolidated Plan.

The Consolidated Plan requires local governments receiving federal funds directly from U.S. Housing and Urban Development to “determine strategies, community needs, long and short-term objectives, resources and proposed projects for submission as a combined planning and application document,” the county said in a press release.

The first meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17 at the Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex at 6500 Vernon Woods Drive in Sandy Springs. The second and last meeting will take place at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 at the Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility at 2885 Church Street in East Point.

Fulton receives about $2.7 million in federal funds each year from HUD through the Community Development Block Grant Program, HOME Investment Partnerships and Emergency Solutions Grant programs.

These funds can be used to provide improvements and services that benefit all Fulton County citizens, with the primary intention being to improve the living conditions of low- and moderate-income people.

Proposed activities’ budgets will be proportionally increased or decreased from the estimated funding levels to match actual allocation amounts received from HUD. All proposed activities and projects are pending final allocation from HUD and approval of the Consolidated Plan and Action Plan by the Board of Commissioners; proposed activities and projects may change pending final approval of documents.

The proposed Emergency Solutions Grant activities for both fiscal year 2014 and fiscal year 2015 funds will be presented to the Fulton County Continuum of Care (CoC) Board at their Nov. 19 meeting for approval.

Under the HEARTH Act, the county must coordinate the use of ESG funds with their CoC Board. The proposed activities must then be approved by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners as part of the Annual Action Plan once the final allocation from HUD is approved.

These hearings will help the county finalize its draft 2015 Action Plan, and all comments will be given to county commissioners. They will consider adopting the plan on Dec. 3. Citizen input will also be included in the 2015 Annual Action Plan that will be submitted to HUD.

For citizens unable to attend and participate in the public hearings, written comments on the Fulton County Draft 2015 Action Plan and proposed 2014 Amendments to the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan/Annual Action Plan may be submitted to: Fulton County Government Department of Housing and Community Development, 137 Peachtree Street, S.W., Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30303, Atlanta, GA 30303; Attention: Linda Callaway; phone: 404-613-8087; fax: 404-893-6678; and email linda.callaway@fultoncountyga.gov.

Written comments must be received by 5 p.m. Dec. 2.