Community Development

Community Development Block Grant

King County annually receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The primary objective of the CDBG Program as set forth by Congress is "the development of viable urban communities, by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income." Federal regulations define persons who are low and moderate-income as households earning under 80% of the area median income, as determined by HUD, adjusted by household size.

King County administers CDBG funds on behalf of the King County CDBG Consortium. The Consortium is established under interlocal cooperation agreements between King County and 34 cities and towns. A Joint Recommendations Committee, comprised of officials representing the participating cities and the county, is composed of appointments by the Suburban Cities Association and the King County Executive, to advise King County on CDBG funding and program guidelines decisions.

CDBG King County Consortium Funds

The Consortium Fund is CDBG funds available to meet needs in Consortium cities and unincorporated King County. The Consortium Fund serves residents of the following communities through the noted sub-regions:

• North/East Sub-region is made up of the cities and towns of Bothell, Carnation, Clyde Hill, Duvall, Hunts Point, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Mercer Island, North Bend, Redmond, Sammamish, Skykomish, Snoqualmie, Woodinville and Yarrow Point.
• South Sub-region is made up of the cities and towns of Algona, Black Diamond, Burien, Covington, Des Moines, Enumclaw, Maple Valley, Pacific, SeaTac and Tukwila.

General Program Guidelines and Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

The following types of organizations are eligible to apply for CDBG funds:

• Nonprofit organizations
• Local governments (including cities, special districts and King County)
• Public housing authorities

Eligible Projects

CDBG projects must meet one of three national objectives established for the Community Development Block Grant Program:

• National Objective #1: Activities Benefiting Low- and Moderate-Income Persons
• National Objective #2: Activities Which Aid in the Prevention or Elimination of Slums or Blight
• National Objective #3: Activities Designed to Meet Community Development Needs Having a Particular Urgency

Federal regulations require that at least 70% of CDBG funds be used for projects which benefit low and moderate-income persons.

Please contact HCD for information regarding the criteria for meeting each of the national objectives.

CDBG funds may be used for human services as well as for capital projects. Federal regulations restrict the amount of CDBG funds that may be used for human services. Consequently, the majority of CDBG funds are used for capital projects, housing repair, and economic development. Capital projects involve the acquisition and/or improvement of real property. CDBG funds may be used for acquisition of land and buildings as well as for design, engineering, permits and construction costs. Funds may also be used for related project costs such as property appraisal, property surveys, closing costs, legal fees, demolition, hazardous materials abatement, landscaping, project management and relocation assistance for households or businesses displaced temporarily or permanently by a CDBG-assisted project.

For general information on King County's priorities for CDBG and other housing and community development funds, please refer to the 2010 Housing and Community Development Action Plan or the 2010 - 2012 Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan.

Sample Application Forms and Guidelines (Application period is closed for 2012. The next application period (for 2013 funds) will open in Spring 2012.

Note that the seven documents below are available in both WORD 2007 format and WORD 1993-2003 format. You may use either one for your application.

WORD 2007 Document format

Part III: Community Facilities

Part V: Parks

Part VI: Economic Development

Part VII: Minor Home Repair

WORD 1997 - 2003 Document format

Parts I and II - General and Agency Information

Part III: Community Facilities

Part IV: Public Improvements

Part V: Parks

Part VI: Economic Development

Part VII: Minor Home Repair

Also see

Joint Agreement City Funds

King County CDBG Consortium "passes through" a portion of the CDBG funds to three of the larger member cities known as Joint Agreement Cities. Each of these Joint Agreement cities - Federal Way, Renton and Shoreline - allocates their portion of the funds to meet locally identified needs through their own allocation process. Efforts will be made to coordinate multi-jurisdictional projects with the Joint Agreement cities.

For additional information contact the Joint Agreement City CDBG Staff.

Joint Agreement City Contacts:

Redmond

Renton

Dianne Utecht, CDBG Coordinator
425-430-6655
Email: dutecht@rentonwa.gov

Shoreline

Bethany Wolbrecht-Dunn, CDBG Coordinator
206-801-2331
Email: bwolbrec@shorelinewa.gov

Economic Development and Business Loans

King County also uses its CDBG funds to make loans to businesses for the purpose of creating and retaining jobs for low and moderate income people or for the purpose of providing services to an area that contains at least 51 percent low and moderate-income residents. For more information contact: Kathy Tremper, Community Development Coordinator.

Office Contact Information:

Kathy Tremper , Community Development Coordinator
King County Housing and Community Development
401 5th Ave, Suite 500
Seattle, WA 98104

206-263-9097