Subject:
Title
Rebuild Florida CDBG-MIT General Infrastructure program grant applications with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the submission for three proposals to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Rebuild Florida Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) General Infrastructure program.
• These funds are available through a newly created Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Program through U.S. Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DEO) “Rebuild Florida Program.”
• On June 15, 2020, DEO launched the Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program (GIP), making $475 million available for eligible applicants, including units of general local government. The GIP program is designed to provide funding opportunities for local governments and state agencies to develop large-scale mitigation activities that allow Florida communities to better withstand future disasters.
• Pinellas County’s applications will fund enhanced hurricane readiness for Utilities’ infrastructure, increase community sheltering capacity, and improve stormwater management in Joe’s Creek Greenway.
• The City of St. Petersburg is joining as a co-applicant for the Resilient Utilities Program submittal.
• A public notice commenting period was conducted between August 26, 2020 and September 9, 2020.
• Final applications are due to DEO on September 14, 2020. The Resilient Utilities Program proposal will be finalized with the addition of the City of St. Petersburg’s input prior to the deadline.
• There is no fiscal impact to the County for submission of this grant application. Should grant funding be approved, no match is required, but existing operational and capital improvement allocations will be used as leveraged funds.
• Grant amount is $62,280,734; Leveraged funding is $27,039,000; grant application submission deadline is September 14, 2020.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community
Practice Superior Environmental Stewardship
3.3 Protect and improve the quality of our water, air, and other natural resources
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.2 Invest in infrastructure to meet current and future needs
4.3 Catalyze redevelopment through planning and regulatory programs
4.4 Invest in infrastructure to meet current and future needs
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
Summary
The County will be proposing three projects, listed below, that will reduce the community’s risk to natural hazards as well as increase operational resilience. The projects presented are the result of a two-month internal vetting process, whereby staff from around the organization submitted ideas that not only fit the call for funding but also provide the greatest opportunity to reduce risk and/or increase resiliency. Overall, these projects balance the needs of the community and local governmental services. The projects include: Joe’s Creek Greenway Restoration and Mitigation, Public Works ($25.7M); Resilient Pinellas Utilities Program, Utilities Department and the City of Saint Petersburg ($27.5M); and, Community Center Shelter Hardening, Emergency Management ($7M).
Following Board approval, each department will electronically submit their respective applications to DEO’s Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program funding in the amount of $62,280,734. The County, as well as the City of Saint Petersburg, is providing leveraged funds across all three proposals in the amount of $27,039,000.
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Background Information:
In response to presidentially declared disasters in 2016 and 2017 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that $633 million in first-of-its-kind funding would be available to the state of Florida for disaster mitigation projects. These funds are available through HUD’s newly created Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) and will be used to fund disaster mitigation programs to better protect Florida from future disasters.
Administered by the State of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), a federally required State Action Plan was developed in partnership with state agencies, as well as with input from local communities and stakeholders to determine Florida’s most critical disaster mitigation needs.
On June 15, 2020 DEO launched the Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Program (GIP), making a total of $475,000,000 available for eligible applicants, including units of general local government (UGLG). The funds will be dispersed across three application cycles, with $150,000,000 being made available in its first round this year. The GIP is designed to provide funding opportunities for local governments and state agencies to develop large-scale mitigation activities that allow Florida communities to better withstand future disasters. Final proposals are due to DEO on September 14, 2020.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact to the County for submission of this grant application. Should funding be approved, no match is required.
Staff Member Responsible:
Hank Hodde, Sustainability and Resiliency Program Coordinator, County Administration
Kelli Hammer Levy, Director, Public Works
Megan Ross, Director, Utilities
Cathie Perkins, Director, Emergency Management
Partners:
Department of Housing and Urban Development; Florida Department of Economic Opportunity; Florida Department of Emergency Management; Southwest Florida Water Management District; Pinellas Park Water Management District; Lealman CRA; Palm Harbor CSA; Cities of Belleair, Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shores, Clearwater, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Largo, Madeira Beach, Pinellas Park, Safety Harbor, Seminole, St Pete Beach, St Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, and Treasure Island; and, Towns of Belleair, Indian Shores, North Redington Beach, Redington Beach, and Redington Shores.
Attachments:
Joe’s Creek Project Factsheet
Joe’s Creek Proposal
Utilities Project Factsheet
Utilities Proposal
Shelter Hardening Project Factsheet
Shelter Hardening Proposal
DEO GIP Funding Announcement
OMB Acceptance Email
OMB Contract Review