Community Services is proposing to use Community Development Block Grant program funds to assist approximately 10 low-income homeowners each year for the next 5 years to make repairs to their homes

VANCOUVER — All comments are welcomed and encouraged regarding a Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds to the U.S. Department of Housing and Development for the Housing Preservation Program (HPP).

Clark County Community Services is proposing to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program funds to assist approximately 10 low-income homeowners each year for the next 5 years to make repairs to their homes to ensure they are safe and livable. An annual allocation of $250,000 of CDBG funding will be used to administer the program and complete the repairs.

All federal funding must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The HPP is evaluated using a tiered review. Tier 1 is a broad level review and assessed impacts of the following laws and authorities: Coastal Barrier Resources Act, Air Quality, Coastal Zone Management Act, Endangered Species Act, Explosives and Flammable Hazards, Farmlands Protection, Noise Abatement and Control, Sole Source Aquifers, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and Environmental Justice. No impacts to the human environment were identified through the Tier 1 review.

Tier 2 reviews assess properties through a site-specific review once the needs of each individual house and homeowner are evaluated to determine the scope of work needed. The laws and authorities to be evaluated through the site-specific review include Airport Hazards, Flood Insurance, Contamination and Toxic Substances, Floodplain Management, Historic Preservation, and Wetlands Protection. Projects will not be completed if there is an impact to the human environment that cannot be mitigated.

Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at Clark County Community Services, 1601 E Fourth Plain Blvd, Ste C214, Vancouver, WA, and may be examined or copied weekdays 9 a.m.  to 4 p.m. with advance notice, or online at https://cpd.hud.gov/cpd-public/environmental-reviews.

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to Michael Torres, Community Action, Housing and Development Manager at Clark County Community Services, address above, by email at michael.torres@clark.wa.gov, or by phone at (564) 397-7801. All comments received by Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, will be considered by Clark County prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify, “Housing Preservation Program ERR.”

The complete Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds can be found on the CDBG website at https://clark.wa.gov/community-services/community-development-block-grant.

Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.