The city of Dunkirk has scheduled two public hearings to allow city residents, businesses and organizations the opportunity to comment on the 2013-2017 City Consolidated Plan for the city's next five-year Community Development Block Grant.
The first hearing is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Courtney Street Apartments located at Courtney Street and Maple Avenue.
The second hearing is set for Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the second floor conference room in City Hall.
The hearings are held to give interested persons the opportunity to discuss and suggest possible programs and projects that would benefit low- and moderate-income city residents, according to the legal notice announcing the hearings.
The city will also schedule technical assistance meetings throughout November in order to assist businesses and organizations in completing their 2013 CDBG proposal applications.
Those applications are due in the city clerk's office on Friday, Dec. 14 at noon - with no late applications being accepted.
The Development Department has held public hearings already to get public input on spending plans.
According to the department, money must be spent on certain categories. These include housing, economic development, public facilities and infrastructure, administration and public services. Senior services, youth services, employment training and homeownership assistance are included under the category of public services.
The city is looking for groups to apply for any CDBG-eligible activities. Funded in 2012 were the Boys and Girls Club, Meals on Wheels, Literacy Volunteers, Chautauqua Works and Chautauqua Opportunities.
In 2013, the city is going to fund fewer projects, but with more money per advice from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Senior services, youth services, employment training and homeownership assistance are the four areas under public services the city will be concentrating on over the next five years, based on the five-year plan's public input, according to the development department.
Any organization can apply for funding, but the city is looking for organizations to administer and run programming geared to those areas.
Chautauqua Opportunities will be administering the city's Housing Rehab Program while the Dunkirk Local Development Corporation will administer economic development.
The City's website; www.dunkirktoday.com under Planning and Development will have information on CDBG. Applications are available online, in the Development Department office at 338 Central Ave., Suite 210, and in the City Clerk's office.
