Grant Administration

Below are the various components of grant administration relevant to the Community Development Block Grant program, including: grantee requirements, environmental review, procurement, labor standards, acquisition and relocation.

Grantee Requirements

Grantees are responsible for a number of requirements that extend beyond just administering the Community Development Block Grant project. These requirements include steps that municipalities must take before applying for a grant and steps that may not be directly related to completing the project. A CDBG Webinar Video on this topic can be viewed by clicking the link.

Environmental Review

All grantees are required to comply with federal environment laws and regulations. These laws and regulations are contained in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and 24 CFR Part 58 (rev. October 29, 2003). The executed grant agreement requires an environmental review to be completed prior to the obligation, expenditure, or draw down of program funds.

The environmental review, and applicable public notification, becomes part of a written environmental review record to be maintained by grantees. This record documents that CDBG funded and related activities are in compliance with NEPA, and other applicable federal laws, regulations, and executive orders. The goal of these federal laws is to ensure that federally assisted projects are compatible with the existing environmental conditions, that projects do not adversely impact the environment as a whole, and that the users of the project will be given a safe, healthy, and enjoyable environment. A CDBG Webinar Video on this topic can be viewed by clicking the link.

Procurement

This section describes the policies and procedures that must be followed when entering into contractual agreements with other entities. Services often procured by grantees to complete CDBG projects include professional grant administrators, engineers, architects, and construction contractors. A CDBG Webinar Video on this topic can be viewed by clicking the link.

Labor Standards

Construction projects funded with CDBG require that certain procedures be followed in order to comply fully with applicable federal and state requirements. For example, federal labor standards require recipients and contractors to meet and document compliance with certain rules associated with the employment and wages of workers on construction projects.

This section describes the policies and procedures that must be followed when undertaking construction projects with CDBG funds, including bid preparation, compliance with labor standards, pre-construction meetings, on-site interviews, and approval procedures. This section overlaps significantly with Procurement and slightly with Grantee Requirements (for equal opportunity). A CDBG Webinar Video on this topic can be viewed by clicking the link.

Acquisition

The Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (URA or sometimes Uniform Act for short) applies to acquisition activities and displacement (temporary or permanent). URA imposes requirements on HUD-assisted projects carried out by public agencies, non-profit organizations, private developers or others; AND, real property acquisition for HUD-assisted projects (whether publicly or privately acquired) must adhere to URA-established provisions.

This section covers the acquisition requirements of CDBG projects involving acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition may be subject to the provisions of the Uniform Act (URA) and Section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Requirements for relocation assistance to be provided to displaced persons, businesses, non-profit organizations, and farms are covered in the Relocation section. A CDBG Webinar Video on this topic can be viewed by clicking the link.

Relocation

The Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (URA or sometimes Uniform Act for short) applies to acquisition activities and displacement (temporary or permanent). URA imposes requirements on HUD-assisted projects carried out by public agencies, non-profit organizations, private developers or others; AND, real property acquisition for HUD-assisted projects (whether publicly or privately acquired) must adhere to URA-established provisions.

This section covers the displacement and relocation benefit requirements of CDBG projects involving acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition may be subject to the provisions of the Uniform Act (URA) and Section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Requirements for acquisition (including easements and long-term leases), conversion, and demolition of real property are covered in the Acquisition section. A CDBG Webinar Video on this topic can be viewed by clicking the link.