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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 21, 2006 <br />Action Agenda a ~ <br />Item No. _, <br />SUBJECT: Community Development Block Grant Award -IDA Program <br />DEPARTMENT: Housing/Community Dev <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Code of Conduct /Hatch Policy <br />Citizen Participation Plan <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Tara L. Fikes, 245-2490 <br />PURPOSE: To approve the following documents: 1) Code of Conduct/Hatch Act Policy; and 2) <br />Citizen Participation Plan as required by the FY 2005 Community Development Block Grant <br />Award, <br />BACKGROUND: In January 2006, Orange County was awarded a $50,000 Community <br />Development Block (CDBG) Grant from the N,C, Department of Commerce for an Individual <br />Development Account Program for first-time homebuyers with incomes below 80% of the area <br />median income, Funds from this grant will be used to match first-time homebuyer participant's <br />savings for a downpayment to purchase their first home, The match ratio is 2:1. For example, <br />if a participant saves $1,000 toward the dawn payment on a home, their savings are matched <br />with $1,000 in CDBG funding and $1,000 in local funding equating to a 2:1 match of local <br />savings, <br />In order to proceed with grant activities, the Board of County Commissioners must approve the <br />following two documents, The first is a Code of Conduct/Hatch Act Policy that prohibits any <br />County official or agent administrating this grant to have any interest, financial or otherwise in <br />the grant project. The second document is the County's Citizen Participation Plan that details <br />the process to be utilized for giving citizens an opportunity to participate in planning, <br />implementing, and monitoring Community Development projects, The County last approved <br />this Plan in May 2002; however, the State is requiring re-adoption of the Citizen Participation <br />Plan for the FY 2005 IDA Grant, <br />Copies of these documents are attached to this abstract, <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: This grant represents an available $50,000 far affordable housing <br />initiatives in the County. No additional local funds are required at this time, <br />RECOMMENDATION (S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the following <br />documents: 1) Code of Conduct/Hatch Act Policy; and 2) Citizen Participation Plan as required <br />by the FY 2005 Community Development Block Grant Award, <br />