Section 110.70  Grant Application Process

a)         Upon request, the Department will supply local governments with an application package.  Eligible applicants shall complete and submit the application in accordance with the instructions and the application schedule, which is annually established by the Department.  Costs incurred in preparing the applications are not reimbursable.

b)         Pursuant to 24 CFR 570.486(5), eligible applicants must conduct two public hearings, each at a different stage of the project to obtain citizen views.

1)         A minimum of one public meeting must be held prior to the submission of any application to the Department.  This meeting, and its specific time, location, and topics must be published at least seven days in advance in the non-legal section of a newspaper that is in general circulation within the community.  Subsequent to the meetings, a resolution of support from the local governing body must be passed that authorizes the local government to apply for funds.  If an eligible applicant plans to utilize grant funds as a financial assistance mechanism, discussions should be held at the public meeting to determine the planned uses of the recaptured funds.

2)         Should an eligible applicant be awarded a grant, the applicant must provide documentation/evidence (i.e., newspaper clipping of notice hearing and a summary of comments presented at hearing) that one public hearing was conducted to review program performance under that grant.

c)         Eligible applicants must submit a plan for minimizing displacement pursuant to section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, only if the project will result in the displacement or relocation of residents.

(Source:  Amended at 29 Ill. Reg. 10017, effective June 28, 2005)