City Develops Five-Year Federal Spending Plan: Citizens Encouraged to Participate in Process

Austin citizens are encouraged to participate in identifying critical community needs as the City of Austin prepares to develop its Consolidated Plan for fiscal years 2005-2009. The plan allocates more than $65 million in Federal resources to meet the housing and community development needs of Austin's low-and moderate-income residents. The City's Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Office is responsible for preparing the Plan.

As part of the Plan's development, the City is seeking input from the community during the first public hearing on February 10, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. The public hearing will be conducted during the regularly scheduled Community Development Commission meeting, held at the Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center, located at 808 Nile.

The Consolidated Plan is required by federal law and serves as the application for and acceptance of four entitlement grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Federal regulations require that a Council-approved Consolidated Plan be delivered to HUD no later than August 15, 2004.

Once the draft Consolidated Plan is written, it will be available to the public at the City's Main Library or at their local neighborhood center. Copies will also be available at the City?s Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Office, 505 Barton Springs Road, Suite 600.

The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Please call 974-3100 (voice) or 974-3102 (TDD) for assistance. This project is made possible by funding from HUD through the City of Austin.

CONTACT: Julie Beggs, 974-3121 (voice), 802-7108 (pager)