Welcome to the El Paso County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) main page. Our program’s vision is to develop viable communities by ensuring a range of affordable housing choices, supporting necessary services and public infrastructure, strengthening the local economy, and mobilizing community resources to enhance collaboration and community partnerships. View the tabs below to learn more about our program and the funding cycle.
The El Paso County CDBG program opened its application cycle on January 10, 2020, and will be closing on February 7, 2020 at 5pm. Application, instructions, and additional materials are now available under the ‘Applications & Eligibility’ tab. Please note that all first-time applicants must meet with a CDBG staff member prior to submitting an application. If you have additional questions or would like to meet with a CDBG staff member regarding the application cycle, please use the contact information as the end of this page.
El Paso County, Colorado (the County) will conduct a Public Hearing to obtain the views of citizens on HOUSING, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEEDS, and to offer citizens the opportunity to make comments or suggestions regarding the type of projects or activities that should be considered for funding through the CDBG Program for the 2020 CDBG program year.
Citizens will be provided with information including but not limited to:
• the amount of CDBG funds expected to be made available for the current fiscal year;
• highest priority community development needs as outlined in the program’s strategic plan;
• the range of activities that may be undertaken with CDBG funds;
• the amount of funding anticipated to benefit low- to moderate-income persons.
Agencies interested in applying for CDBG funding are also encouraged to attend. If time permits, CDBG staff will be available to provide one-on-one assistance with the application.
TWO HEARINGS WILL BE HELD AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS AND TIMES:
El Paso County Economic Development Department
9 E Vermijo Avenue
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
Friday, January 24, 2020
11:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Pikes Peak Library District Fountain Library
230 S Main Street
Fountain, Colorado 80817
Friday, January 31, 2020
5:00 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.
Light refreshments and informational materials will be provided at both events. Free parking, metered parking, and ADA accessible parking spaces are available. Both options are located within ½ mile of a bus stop and ADA accessible.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), El Paso County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. Anyone requiring an auxiliary aid or service to participate in this meeting should make the request as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours before the scheduled event. Citizens who are deaf and hard of hearing may dial 711 or 800-659-3656 Relay Colorado (voice) or 800-659-2656 (TTY). Foreign language services, American Sign Language interpreters, and specialty printed materials may be requested at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
All questions and requests may be submitted to Chloe Lomprey, Community Development Analyst, at 719-520-6249 or chloelomprey@elpasoco.com. For those unable to attend but wishing to submit a comment, please email the above address or mail your comment to the following: El Paso County Economic Development Department, 9 E Vermijo Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
CDAB meetings are currently held in the Economic Development Conference Room located at 9 E. Vermijo Avenue in Colorado Springs, Colorado and start at 12:30 pm. The most recent CDAB meeting was on October 16, 2019 at 12:30 pm.
The current 2020 CDAB schedule is as follows:
Additional meetings will be added as they are scheduled.
The El Paso County CDBG Program participated in the 2019 Health & Education Fair in Calhan, Colorado on Saturday, September 14, 2019 in the Whittemore Building on the El Paso County Fairgrounds in Calhan, Colorado. The next Fair Housing Event will take place in April 2020, which is National Fair Housing Month. Additional details will be released in Feburary 2020.
El Paso County’s CDBG program year runs from April 1 – March 31.
The application cycle is now open. The 2020 application cycle opened on January 10, 2020 and will close on February 7, 2020 at 5pm. The application, instructions, and additional materials are posted below.
2020 CDBG Program Application Instructions
CDBG Applicant Self-Check Guide
The low to moderate income map link below is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development based on ACS data. For current recipients of funding and prospective recipients, this link is an excellent tool for scouting potential locations for projects.
Nationwide LMI Maps (To use map, zoom in to El Paso County and select only the ‘LMISD by Block Group’ option. Click on Block Groups to view Low/Mod percentages. For more assistance, contact our office.)
El Paso County LMI Maps (These maps are zoomed in to specific Census Tract Block Groups in El Paso County that qualify for LMA benefit. For more information or specialty maps for persons with disabilities, please contact our office.)
CDBG funds can be awarded to local jurisdictions and non-profit organizations but not private individuals. Agencies with experience administering federal funding resources will likely have adequate internal controls and policies to successfully implement a CDBG funded project.
After confirming your agency’s eligibility for funding, please consider that the following guidelines must be met:
Please contact our office directly to discuss the eligibility of a specific program or project.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has outlined three clear objectives to be fulfilled by the CDBG program. Every project funded by CDBG funds must accomplish one of the three following objectives: address an urgent need, mitigate slum/blight conditions, or benefit persons of low-to-moderate income. Additionally, mitigating slum/blight conditions or benefiting persons of low-to-moderate income can be accomplished through several different avenues. A visual breakdown of these objectives is presented below.
In addition to meeting a national objective, all projects funded by the El Paso County CDBG Program must meet at least one of the goals outlined in our 2017-2021 Consolidated Plan. Please note all goals denoted with an ‘AFH’ in reference to our Assessment of Fair Housing are considered high priority goals. An in-depth listing of all goals is linked below.
Before El Paso County CDBG Program projects may begin expending funds, they must first be approved by the Board of County Commissioners and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Projects are selected and submitted for approval on an annual basis, with the final approval from HUD usually occurring in July or August each year.
Click the links below to see current and past projects, as well as a few highlighted projects that have made an exceptional difference in our community.
Whether you are a first-time recipient of El Paso County CDBG funding or a federal funding old timer, this page will help your agency keep your project in compliance with all associated requirements.
All funding applicants are highly encouraged to review the documents below in advance of submitting their application. These links will help you prepare an application that addresses the needs of the CDBG program as well as develop a deeper understanding of what to expect when developing a potential project.
Playing by the Rules Handbook CDBG Subrecipients
Sample CDBG Subrecipient Agreement
Not sure which reports to submit, or when they’re due? Start off by reviewing the 2019 CDBG Reporting Schedule below. Additional questions can be directed to CDBG staff using the contact information at the bottom of the page.
2019 CDBG Reporting Schedule
Reimbursement Request Form
Quarterly Subrecipient Report
Program Income Report
Annual Federal Expenditure Report
2019 Program Year Project Completion Report
2019 CDBG Income Limits
In order to receive CDBG entitlement funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, El Paso County CDBG staff must prepare a series of annual and five-year reports for the federal agency’s review. All applicable reports for the current program year and consolidated plan cycle are posted here as they become available.
2017-2021 Assessment of Fair Housing
2017-2021 Community Development Block Grant Consolidated Plan
2017 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan
2017 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)
2018 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan
2018 Consoldiated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)
The El Paso County CDBG Program is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing within our jurisdiction as delineated in our 2017-2021 Consolidated Plan goal AFH4. Our program hosts two free and open to the public fair housing events each year, which are posted under the Events and Notices tab as they are scheduled.
Below is a collection of free resources relevant to the Fair Housing Act, including agencies that can assist individuals in filing fair housing complaints.
2017-2021 Assessment of Fair Housing
Regional Housing Needs Assessment (2014)
HUD’s Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Website
United States Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division
Colorado Division of Civil Rights
On April 1, 2009, El Paso County became an “entitlement community” and was awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to carry out a wide range of community development activities directed toward revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development, and providing improved community facilities and services.
The Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB) reviews matters of importance regarding the CDBG program and makes recommendations to the El Paso County Board of Commissioners concerning community development issues and use of CDBG funds.
The CDAB is comprised of 12 voting members, including a representative from each of the municipalities participating in the El Paso County Community Development Block Grant Program and a representative from each of the commissioner districts. Participating municipalities advise the Board of County Commissioners who they have designated as their representative. Commissioner district representatives are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. Members are appointed for five-year terms, with terms initially staggered, and are limited to serving two consecutive five-year terms.
Please review the Events and Notices tab for upcoming CDAB meeting dates and times.
Chloe Lomprey
Community Development Analyst
9 E. Vermijo Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719)520-6249
chloelomprey@elpasoco.com
