The Community Development Division is responsible for the administration and implementation of funds and programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These funds are primarily designed to help improve the overall housing stock within the City of Middletown and to maintain a quality standard of living for its citizens.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – These funds are granted to the City each year and are designed to address a wide range of unique community development needs. CDBG funds may be used for activities which include, but are not limited to:
To receive its annual CDBG entitlement grant, the City must develop and submit to HUD its Consolidated Plan, which is the City’s 3-5 year comprehensive planning document and application for funding under the following Community Planning and Development formula grant programs. In Middletown’s Consolidated Plan, the City identifies its goals for the program. The goals will serve as the criteria against which HUD will evaluate Middletown’s Plan and its performance under the Plan. Also, the Consolidated Plan must include several required certifications, including that not less than 70% of the CDBG funds received, over a one, two or three year period specified by the grantee, will be used for activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons, and that the grantee will affirmatively further fair housing.
As part of the City’s 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan, the City also created an extensive neighborhood study to determine which areas of the City would be the focus of the funding. Download this Neighborhood Study.
In addition to the Consolidated Plan and other reporting requirements, the City is also required to complete the following annual reports:
s currently funded by the City of Middletown under the CDBG program are:
The HOME Program – HOME provides formula grants to States and localities that communities use-often in partnership with local nonprofit groups-to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people. These funds help expand the supply of decent, affordable housing for low- and very low-income families by providing grants to States and local governments called participating jurisdictions or "PJs". The City of Middletown and Butler County are a consortium and are considered a PJ for the purposes of receiving HOME funds. Some activities currently funded by HOME funds under the Butler County Consortium specifically for the City of Middletown are:
The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) - The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) was established for the purpose of stabilizing communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. Through the purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed and abandoned homes and residential properties, the goal of the program is being realized. The City of Middletown received over $2.1 million and have utilized the funding to demolish many vacant and blighted properties as well as purchase vacant foreclosed properties and rehabilitate them to exceed typical property standards for the area. These rehabilitated properties are then sold to households with incomes <120% of area median income. The intention of the funding is to stabilize neighborhoods and help increase overall property values. The City of Middletown is required to report quarterly on the status of NSP funds. The link for more information regarding NSP including the City’s Substantial Amendment and our quarterly reports, may be found here: www.cityofmiddletown.org/nsp
HUD's Good Neighbor Next Door initiative is designed to encourage revitalization by assisting law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and teachers to purchase homes in target neighborhoods in Middletown. HUD provides a substantial incentive in the form of a fifty percent discount off the list price of eligible properties. For information on the program, click here: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/reo/goodn/gnndabot.cfm
Miscellaneous The Community Development division utilizes HUD funds for many purposes such as: comprehensive residential housing rehabilitation, minor housing rehabilitation, lead / asbestos abatement, and demolition. Each project is bid out using the sealed bid method to contractors on the City’s approved list. If you would like to get on the approved list of contractors for the department, please download the Contractor Application, fill it out completely with all documentation, and mail it to: City of Middletown, Community Revitalization Department, ATTN: Contractor Approval Processing, 1 Donham Plaza, Middletown, OH 45042. Women and Minority Business Owners are STRONGLY encouraged to apply. Section 3 – All contractors approved with the City must adhere to the Economic Opportunities guidelines of Section 3. The Section 3 regulations require that recipients of certain HUD financial assistance, to the greatest extent possible, provide job training, employment, and contract opportunities for low or very low income residents in connection with projects and activities in their neighborhoods. A contractor handbook on how to comply with Section 3 regulations HUD funded projects may be downloaded here. Section 504 – This provides that no qualified individual with a disability should, only by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. The City’s Section 504 Policy can be downloaded here.