INTRODUCTION
The Miami-Dade County Department of Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD) administers Miami-Dade County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. In this FY 2022 Request for Applications (RFA), PHCD is soliciting applications to fund activities with CDBG funds. This RFA is seeking applications to address high priority needs as stated in the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan, Eligible Block Groups within the North, Central and South regions of Miami-Dade County and areas most suspectible to sea level rising, as designated on the Vulnerability Map. (See Attachment 1).
- Funds awarded from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are allocated to not-for-profit community-based development organizations, community development corporations, community-based organizations, municipalities, for-profit entities, and County departments to support activities that meet HUD national objectives to benefit Low-and-Moderate-Income (LMI) persons. CDBG defines a low- and moderate-income person as a member of a household whose income would qualify as “very low-income” under the Section 8 Housing Assistance Program. Generally, these Section 8 limits are based on 50% of Area Median Income (AMI). The Area Median Income for Miami-Dade County is $61,000. For CDBG purposes moderate-income is defined as 80% of the Area Median Income.
- If awarded funding, the entire CDBG award amount will not be available to access immediately, but will be distributed proportionately (i.e., on a reimbursement basis) in accordance with each entity’s project needs and budget during the contract period based on incurred costs with valid supporting documentation.
- Ordinance 14-26 requires contractors on construction projects over $1 million, for public buildings, public works or projects on County owned lands, to submit a Responsible Contractor Affidavit; to provide the Office of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ten (10) hour safety program training to all persons employed by the contractor; and achieve an aspirational goal of 51 percent of the local workforce.
The following paragraphs describe the objectives and requirements of the CDBG program, the categories of activities that will be funded, and estimated funding in this RFA.
THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS
Applicants that do not meet the following threshold items will not be considered for funding. The following items must be included in the application:
- Budget/Scope of Work
- Proof of site control
- Must meet a HUD National Objective
- Track Record - Good standing with Federal, State and Miami-Dade County
- Notwithstanding the above, Miami-Dade County reserves the right not to fund an entity or affiliate with defaulted loans, breach of contract, debarment actions or any other legal encumbrances which may cause risk to County funding or are determined by the County, in its sole discretion, to threaten the applicant’s ability to complete the project proposed in a timely manner, regardless of the merits of the submitted application. Miami-Dade County reserves the right not to fund entities listed in the Federal Excluded Parties List System, as those entities are prohibited from receiving federal contracts or federally approved subcontracts, or from receiving certain types of federal financial assistance (CDBG funds) and benefits.
PROJECT RELATED COSTS
- Per Miami-Dade County regulations signs are required to be placed on all construction sites funded by PHCD. The applicant must include the cost of the signage as part of their development budget.
- Awardees are required to set aside 2-5% of the grant for the Davis-Bacon Compliance Review
- Pursuant to the 1931 Davis Bacon Act contractors and sub-contractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts, in access of $2,000, for the construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works must have a Davis-Bacon wage determinations to certify that employees wages are consistent, at the very least, with local prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area. The applicant will be required to incur the cost associated with Davis Bacon compliance.
- Pursuant to CFR Part 58 for certain construction projects the awardee will be responsible for advertisements in certain local newspapers to inform the public of the impending activity and other related costs which may include Part 58 mandates such as DERM and RER reviews.
The following categories are identified for funding in this RFA:
- Public Service Activities Note: Public Service applications with will not be scored by a Selection Committee but will be awarded through the Commission District Fund process (see definitions).
- Public Service
- Technical Assistance to Small Businesses – Public Service
- Economic Development
- Special Economic Development Lending/Microenterprise Lending
- Business Incubator Assistance Program
- Technical Assistance to Small Businesses – Economic Development
- Housing
- Housing activities are solely for water and sewer connections for single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and quadruplexes, and rehabilitation of owner occupied homes
The following funding amounts are projected to be available for each CDBG category:
Projection of Estimated Available FY 2022 CDBG Funds1 by Category | |
Commission District Fund | $1,594,404.80 |
Public Service - Technical Assistance to Small Businesses | $450,000 |
Economic Development – Technical Assistance to Small Businesses | $400,000 |
Economic Development - Micro Enterprise Lending | $3,000,000 |
Economic Development - Business Incubator Assistance Program | $1,500,000 |
Housing – Water and Sewer Connections | $250,000 |
Housing - Homeowner Rehabilitation | $992,420.80 |
Total Estimated Funds | $8,186,825.60 |
Commission District Fund allocations will be awarded by the members of BCC from a list of eligible applicants. Funds will not be competitively awarded.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Not-for-profit Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Community Development Corporations (CDCs), Community-Based Development Organizations (CBDOs), developers, for-profits, and Community Land Trusts and Faith-based organizations are encouraged to respond to this RFA process by submitting applications for an eligible activity. Applicants may apply for funding for discrete projects on the same site. The applicant must submit a separate application for each discrete project. Funding eligibility criteria may vary by category. Applicants should refer to specific requirements and/or restrictions for each funding category as set forth in this RFA document.
Applicants proposing activities in: 1) entitlement jurisdictions other than Miami-Dade County must be able to explain and demonstrate that the proposed activity is of Metropolitan Significance and/or is consistent with the high priority needs identified in Miami-Dade County's Consolidated Plan. “Metropolitan Significance” is defined as: a) an activity necessary to further the purposes of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; b) an activity necessary to further the purposes of Miami-Dade County’s community development objectives; and c) an activity which will offer a reasonable benefit to residents within Miami-Dade County’s entitlement jurisdiction’s boundaries.
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Regulations stipulate that the following activities shall not be funded with CDBG funds:
Any activity that is not authorized under the provisions of §§ 570.201-570.206 is ineligible to be assisted with CDBG funds. This section identifies specific activities that are ineligible and provides guidance in determining the eligibility of other activities frequently associated with housing and community development.
(a)The following activities will not be funded with CDBG funds:
(1) Buildings or portions thereof, used for the general conduct of government as defined in § 570.3(d) cannot be assisted with CDBG funds. This does not include, however, the removal of architectural barriers under § 570.201(c) involving any such building. Also, where acquisition of real property includes an existing improvement which is to be used in the provision of a building for the general conduct of government, the portion of the acquisition cost attributable to the land is eligible, provided such acquisition meets a national objective described in § 570.208.
(2) General government expenses. Except as otherwise specifically authorized in this subpart or under OMB Circular A-87, expenses required to carry out the regular responsibilities of the unit of general local government are not eligible for assistance under this part.
(3) Political activities. CDBG funds cannot be used to finance the use of facilities or equipment for political purposes or to engage in other partisan political activities, such as candidate forums, voter transportation, or voter registration. However, a facility originally assisted with CDBG funds may be used on an incidental basis to hold political meetings, candidate forums, or voter registration campaigns, provided that all parties and organizations have access to the facility on an equal basis, and are assessed equal rent or use charges, if any.
(b) The following activities cannot be assisted with CDBG funds unless authorized under provisions of § 570.203 or as otherwise specifically noted herein or when carried out by an entity under the provisions of § 570.204.
(1) Purchase of equipment. The purchase of equipment with CDBG funds is ineligible.
(i) Construction equipment. The purchase of construction equipment is ineligible, but compensation for the use of such equipment through leasing, depreciation, or use allowances pursuant to OMB Circulars A-21, A-87 or A-122 as applicable for an otherwise eligible activity is an eligible use of CDBG funds. However, the purchase of construction equipment for use as part of a solid waste disposal facility is eligible under § 570.201(c).
(ii) Furnishings and personal property. The purchase of equipment, fixtures, motor vehicles, furnishings, or other personal property that is not an integral structural fixture is ineligible.
(2) Operating and maintenance expenses. Any expense associated with repairing, operating or maintaining public facilities, improvements and services is ineligible. Specific exceptions to this rule are operating and maintenance expenses associated with public service activities, interim assistance, and office space for program staff employed in carrying out the CDBG program. For example, the use of CDBG funds to pay the allocable costs of operating and maintaining a facility used in providing a public service would be eligible under § 570.201(e), even if no other costs of providing such a service are assisted with such funds.
(3) Income payments. The general rule is that CDBG funds may not be used for income payments. For purposes of the CDBG program, “income payments” means a series of subsistence-type grant payments made to an individual or family for items such as food, clothing, housing (rent or mortgage), or utilities, but excludes emergency grant payments made over a period of up to three consecutive months to the provider of such items or services on behalf of an individual or family.
The eligibility of activities is governed by the CDBG regulations found at 24 CFR Part 570, including but not limited to, 24 CFR 570.201 – 207.
In addition to the above activities, Miami-Dade County will not accept RFA applications from third party consultants, Project Management, the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), Private Schools, and Special Economic Development Program aka PHCD administered loan program.
Attachment 1 – Map of Eligible Block Groups, by Vulnerability Ranking AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE http://www.miamidade.gov/housing/