The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department ensures that the public is afforded opportunities to participate in the Community Development Block Grant program. Citizen input is collected through formal processes: during annual review and development of the Method of Distribution, during development of project applications by eligible applicants, and as part of the local process to closeout a project.
Participation in the annual review/development of the Method of Distribution
The Oregon Economic and Community Development Department holds a 30-day public comment period and holds a public hearing as part of the annual MOD development process.
The comment period generally is open around September-October, with the public hearing held towards the end of the comment period. The MOD is finalized in October-November and becomes effective January 1 of the new year.
Participation in CDBG funded projects
Every applicant and recipient of Community Development Block Grant funds must comply with the citizen participation requirements provided in federal law and described in Chapter 6 of the Method of Distribution. Compliance with some of these requirements is checked by the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department during application review; compliance with other requirements is verified when grant projects are monitored by the department or during the grant closeout process.
Applications from jurisdictions that fail to comply with the citizen participation requirements will not be accepted. Applicants can establish citizen participation plans but must, at a minimum, use the required first public notice included in Chapter 6 of the Method of Distribution.
