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.
CDAB meetings are currently held on the third Wednesday of each month as needed in the Economic Development Conference Room located at 9 E. Vermijo Avenue in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Meetings start at 12:30 pm. The next CDAB meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 at 12:30pm.
CDBG 2023 Application Instructions
The El Paso County CDBG program’s HUD designated program year runs from April 1 – March 31 of the following year. The application cycle generally opens in January. Check the events and notices tab for when application cycle dates are announced.
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 the 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.)
El Paso County Assessor Real Property Search (Use this tool to check whether an address is inside or outside the city of limits of Colorado Springs)
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 2022-2026 Consolidated Plan.
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 link below to see our current projects:
Click the links below to see past projects:
All funding applicants are highly encouraged to review the documents below in advance of submitting their application. These resources will prepare you for what to expect when developing a potential project and ensure your application addresses the needs of the CDBG program.
Begin by reviewing the Annual Reporting Schedule, noting which reporting forms are required quarterly and annually. Direct additional questions to CDBG staff using the contact information at the bottom of the page.
Downloadable Reporting Forms:
Mandatory Forms for RFP/IFB:
Mandatory Items that must be completed before construction can begin on a project:
Mandatory Posters to be displayed on job site during construction:
Davis-Bacon & Labor Standards: Contractor Guide & Addendum
Section 3 Compliance Guide (for projects with federal funding totaling $200,000 or more)
Section 3 Compliance Reporting Form (for projects with federal funding totaling $200,00 or more)
Note that CDBG-CV Reporting follows the same schedule as the CDBG Annual Reporting Schedule and utilizes the same reimbursement request form.
Intro to CDBG-CV
CDBG-CV Quarterly Report
Duplication of Benefits Guide
Duplication of Benefits Awareness Sheet
CDBG-CV Public Utilities Q&A
To ensure these federal funds are used effectively and efficiently within our jurisdiction, El Paso County Economic Development thoughtfully, strategically, and with robust community participation completes several long-term planning, short-term action, and final performance evaluation documents. Please note additional information below:
2022-2026 Consolidated Plan and 2022 Annual Action Plan
Assessment of Fair Housing (internal planning document)
2021 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan
2021 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)
FY21 El Paso County Annual Community Assessment
Additional historical reports available upon request
The El Paso County CDBG Program is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing within our jurisdiction as delineated in our 2022-2026 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.
Want to learn more about your fair housing rights? Please see the resources below and feel free to reach out if you have specific questions or would like additional information.
Fair Housing Resources Webinar Presentation
Community Development Week Presentation
Fair Housing For All English Booklet
Fair Housing For All Spanish Booklet
DMFHC Brochure: Fair Housing for Persons with Disabilities
DMFHC Brochure: Fair Housing for Families with Children
DMFHC Brochure: Fair Housing for HOAs and Cooperative
2022-2026 Assessment of Fair Housing (An internal planning document)
Need help filing a fair housing or employment complaint? The websites below can help you get started.
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.
Meetings:
Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB) meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month at 12:30 PM at 9 E. Vermijo Ave., Colorado Springs, CO. Meetings are held as needed. The next CDAB meeting will be held on Wednesday February 15, 2023 at 12:30 pm.
Members:
Town of Green Mountain Falls: Tyler Stevens (Chair)
Town of Calhan/ Ramah: Cindy Tompkins (Vice-Chair)
District 1: Rachel Starr
District 2: Matt Buffington
District 3: Tiffany Colvert
District 4: Tamara Estes
District 5: Robert Null
City of Fountain: Todd Evans
City of Manitou Springs: Denise Howell
Town of Monument: Madeline VanDenHoek
Town of Palmer Lake: Vacant
Luke Houser
Community Development Analyst
9 E. Vermijo Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
719-520-6249
lukehouser@elpasoco.com
