DRAFT CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN - EXHIBIT 2 - City of Simi Valley
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EXHIBIT 2
DRAFT
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
May 20201
CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
DRAFT Citizen Participation Plan
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published its Final
Rule (24 CFR Part 91, et al.) on January 5, 1995, which required that the City adopt a
Citizen Participation Plan. The purpose of the Citizen Participation Plan (CPP) is to
provide a framework for gathering data and obtaining public comments on the Draft
Consolidated Plan (CP) and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation
Report (CAPER). The CP serves as a planning document and the application for
funding under several HUD formula grant programs, including the Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the Home Investment Partnerships
(HOME) Program. The CAPER provides information regarding the City’s progress in
meeting its objectives, which are identified in its CP.
The primary objectives of the CP are to provide decent and suitable housing
opportunities and suitable living environments, and to expand economic opportunities.
CDBG funds are concentrated on benefiting persons of low- or moderate-income
through service programs, or in areas occupied by persons of predominantly low- and
moderate-income, slums, or blighted areas. As an exception jurisdiction, HUD uses the
2011-2015 American Community Survey (ACS) to define the City’s low- and moderate-
income Census Tracts where at least a defined percentage of the households are of
low- and moderate-income. HOME funds are used to assist income-eligible households
with activities such as a primary home purchase or the rehabilitation of an existing
home. The CP will identify priorities for providing assistance to various groups within the
community and provide a strategy to meet identified affordable housing and economic
opportunity needs of local residents.
Citizen Involvement
Since incorporation, the City of Simi Valley has been committed to citizen involvement
in all aspects of local government. At the heart of this commitment is the Neighborhood
Council (NC) Program. Divided into four geographical areas of the City, NCs make
recommendations to the City Council on a variety of matters, inform citizens, promote
discussions and interaction, and in general provide a recognized communications link
between the citizens and the City. All citizens in the community are eligible and in fact
encouraged to serve on the NC boards and provide input on the CP.
This commitment to citizen participation extends into other areas as well. A Youth
Council serves to advise and assist the City on a variety of youth related matters. The
Council on Aging serves to guide senior citizens’ activities, including, but not limited to,
hot meals, transportation, recreation, health, and counseling. In addition, the City has
various other ongoing and ad hoc citizens’ committees involved in all areas of the
community.2
Stages of Participation
1. Press Release
At the beginning of the CDBG funding process, press releases are issued to all
local media, stating the program timeframe, amount of funds, types of eligible
activities, and intent of the program. Citizens (in particular, extremely low-, low-,
and moderate-income residents) and non-profit organizations are encouraged to
participate.
2. Information Provided
Information about the CP, the CAPER, and the CDBG Program will be provided
to the NCs, the Council on Aging, and the Youth Council, as well as to a wide
variety of non-profit groups and agencies. These organizations will be asked to
provide input into the preparation of the CP and to develop possible projects for
consideration for CDBG funding. They will also be encouraged to participate in
any substantial amendments to the CP, the CAPER, or the CDBG Program.
3. Contact with Other Agencies/Groups/Consultation
Contacts with other agencies and groups, such as private non-profit
organizations, will be made to inform them about the Consolidated Planning
process and to encourage the submittal of applications for the receipt of CDBG
funds. The City invites community participation by providing notices of the
preparation of the CP and copies of the CDBG Guidelines to other agencies and
groups in the City. Notice is also provided to those entities servicing the City from
other parts of the County. The City maintains a mailing list of agencies and
groups who may be interested in the preparation of the CP, as well as those
entities that may be eligible to receive CDBG funding.
Other public and non-profit agencies that provide assisted housing and health
and social services (including those focusing on services to children, elderly
persons, persons with disabilities, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, and
homeless persons) will be consulted during the preparation of the CP.
When preparing the portion of the CP concerning lead-based paint hazards,
State or local health and child welfare agencies will be consulted. All data
received, including the location of housing units in which children have been
identified as lead-poisoned, will be analyzed.
When preparing the description of priority non-housing community development
needs, the City will notify adjacent cities as well as the counties of Ventura and
Los Angeles. The non-housing community development plan, which identifies the
City’s priorities for the expansion or development of various public facilities and
infrastructure as well as assistance which may be provided to local public3
agencies and non-profit social service organizations, will be submitted to the
State and to Ventura County for review and comment.
The City will consult with adjacent units of local government, including those
governmental agencies with metropolitan-wide planning responsibilities,
particularly with regard to problems and solutions that extend beyond City
boundaries.
The City will consult with the Area Housing Authority of Ventura County as well
as other agencies or groups involved in the provision of affordable housing
services within the City. The City will also confer with these groups and agencies
in an effort to assess the public housing needs of the community and to evaluate
all proposed formula grant activities. This consultation will assist in providing a
basis for certification by the City Manager that the CP and CAPER are consistent
with the City’s assessment of extremely low-, low- ,and moderate-income
housing needs. It will also demonstrate that the City cooperates in providing
required resident programs and services. Finally, this consultation will ensure
that activities such as local drug elimination, neighborhood improvement
programs, resident programs and services funded under any public housing
programs, and those activities financed under any formula grant programs
involving the CP, are fully coordinated to achieve comprehensive community
development goals.
4. Publication of Draft Consolidated Plan and Availability to the Public
A summary of the Draft CP will be printed in the local newspaper and copies of
the Draft CP will be made available at the Simi Valley Public Library, at City Hall,
and on the City of Simi Valley’s website. The summary will describe the contents
and purpose of the CP and will include a list of locations where copies of the
entire Draft CP may be examined. The City will provide a reasonable number of
free copies of the Draft CP to citizens and groups that request it. The City will
also provide, upon request, access to information and records relating to the
City’s CP and the City’s use of HUD assistance during the preceding five years.
5. Public Hearings
A minimum of two public hearings will be conducted by the City Council to obtain
public input regarding the Draft CP. The hearings will be conducted during the
evening hours at City Hall, which is a centrally located facility fully accessible to
disabled persons. Arrangements will be made to provide interpreters for non-
English speaking members of the public at public hearings with a minimum of two
(2) business days’ prior notice. In addition to requesting citizen comments on the
Draft CP, citizens will also be asked to provide input on CDBG grant applications.
Notices will be published at least two weeks prior to the hearing in a newspaper
of general circulation and will include the time, date, and location of the hearing4
as well as identification of the topics to be discussed. A separate meeting will be
conducted to obtain citizen comments and views regarding the CAPER.
Citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties will be informed of the
amount of CDBG assistance the City expects to receive (including grant funds
and program income) and the range of eligible activities to which those funds can
be allocated.
The City will consider any comments or views of citizens that are received in
writing or orally at the public hearings, prior to the preparation of the Final CP. A
summary of citizen comments and a summary of any comment or view not
accepted and the reason for non-acceptance will be attached to the Final CP.
The Draft CP will be available for public review a minimum of 30 days in order to
provide time for citizens to submit their views and comments. The Draft CAPER
will be available for public review a minimum of 15 days, as required by HUD
guidelines.
6. City Council Actions
To ensure maximum public participation opportunities, the City Council will hold
at least two public hearings and provide a minimum 30-day public review period
for the Draft CP. One or more additional separate public meetings may be
scheduled to review the CDBG Program.
7. Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report
In order to keep the City Council and the public informed regarding expenditures
and accomplishments under the CDBG Program and the City’s Affordable
Housing Programs, a CAPER will be prepared. The City Council will review the
CAPER during a public meeting, at which time members of the public will be
encouraged to provide comments. Both prior to and during the hearing, the public
will be encouraged to provide written comments. All Citizen comments on the
CAPER that are received in writing or orally during the public meeting will be
considered by the City Council. Citizens will have at least a 15-day period to
submit comments on the CAPER before it is submitted to HUD. A summary of
comments or views received in writing or orally at the public meeting will be
attached to the document.
8. Displacement of Persons
The City has prepared a Residential Antidisplacement and Relocation Assistance
Plan which identifies the type and amount of assistance which would be provided
to individuals in the event they are displaced as a result of activities assisted with
funds provided under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as
amended, and described in 24 CFR 570.606(b) (1) and 49 CFR 24. Citizens will
be informed about the availability of the City’s Residential Antidisplacement and5
Relocation Assistance Plan, which will be made available for inspection by
members of the public. Relocation assistance will be provided in the event that
individuals are displaced as noted above. However, the City has not developed
or considered the development of any plans or activities that would result in the
displacement of any persons through activities assisted with Housing and
Community Development Act funds.
Substantial Amendment
The City defines a “Substantial Amendment” to the CP as a reallocation of CDBG
Program funds or other formula grant funds to a project disclosed or not disclosed in the
CP, or a change in revenue/expenditures greater than twenty percent (20%) of any
CDBG entitlement or grant funds identified within the CP. A press release will be issued
to all local media announcing the availability of a Draft CP. Citizens will be given at least
30 days to submit comments regarding a substantial amendment before it is
implemented.
Written Proposals/Comments
Written comments on the Draft CP and written proposals regarding the use of CDBG
funds are encouraged. Comments will be considered prior to the approval of the Final
CP.
Complaints
Complaints or objections about the CP, CAPER, or the CDBG process should be
directed to the Department of Environmental Services. The City will provide a timely,
substantive written response to every written citizen complaint relating to the CP, CP
Amendments, the CDBG Program, and the CAPER. A representative of the City will
respond to the complaint or problems either through a meeting, personal discussion, or
correspondence, whichever is most appropriate and practical, within 15 working days
from the receipt of the complaint. Every effort will be made to resolve problems or
complaints. Additionally, citizens will have the opportunity to provide feedback at the
public hearings on the CP, CAPER, and CDBG Program.
Complaints not resolved at the staff level may be taken first to the Department of
Environmental Services, second to the City Council, and ultimately to the Community
Planning and Development Division, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, Los Angeles Field Office, 300 N. Los Angeles Street, Suite 4054, Los
Angeles, California 90012.
Access to Records
Citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties will be provided with reasonable
and timely access to information and records relating to the City’s CP, the CAPER, and
assistance received from the Federal government during the preceding five years.6 The CP, as adopted, and the CAPER are provided to the public on the City of Simi Valley’s website. Any substantial amendments to the CP would also be provided in the same format. Assistance Technical assistance will be made available upon request to groups that are representative of low- and moderate-income persons who intend to develop proposals to receive funding assistance through programs covered by the CP. The City has developed Guidelines to assist individuals and organizations applying for CDBG funding. Such Guidelines are distributed to prospective applicants, which identify the items that should be addressed in a request for funds. The Guidelines indicate that City staff is available to assist all individuals and organizations in preparing and designing a request for funds to meet the needs of the requestor, as well as meeting Federal and local regulations. Assistance will be made available upon request for non-English speaking persons who are interested in submitting proposals to receive funding through the programs identified in the CP.
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