Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

Niagara Falls Community Development announces draft 2019 action plan; seeks input from residents during public comment period

Submitted

Tue, Dec 18th 2018 07:00 am

The Niagara Falls Community Development department released its draft 2019 action plan on Monday for public review and comment. The document provides the department’s initial plan for 2019 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds based on feedback from neighborhood planning sessions held in late October, as well as submissions from a request for applications due in November. The draft 2019 action plan will now undergo a 30-day public comment period and two public meetings before being presented to the City Council for a vote to approve.

“Managing public dollars effectively requires that the public be a part of that process,” stated Seth Piccirillo, director of Community Development. “The more the public engages with the annual action plan, the better.”

As done in past years, the Community Development Department will host an informal, interactive public meeting called “Pizza with the Plan” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, at the Carnegie Building. Residents can view project descriptions, ask questions from city staff members, and provide official comments on the draft 2019 action plan. A formal public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, at City Hall council chambers.

Official comments will also be accepted via letters submitted by mail to Niagara Falls Community Development, PO Box 69, Niagara Falls, NY 14302; in-person to the Carnegie Building, 1022 Main St., Niagara Falls, during regular office hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday); or through an online comment submission form at nf-cd.org/participate.

All comments must be submitted on or before Friday, Jan. 18, for consideration.

The City of Niagara Falls receives approximately $2.5 million in federal HUD funds annually through the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant. These federal funds assist activities that benefit low-to-moderate-income and homeless individuals through investments in public services, capital projects, and housing rehabilitation, among others. In recent years, Niagara Falls Community Development has utilized these funds to carry out neighborhood-based improvements, including new playgrounds, the residential conversion of the former school administration building on Walnut Avenue, and mental health programs for homeless children.

For more information on the 2019 action plan, visit nf-cd.org/participate.

Hometown News

View All News