The Oklahoma Department of Commerce will hold a virtual public hearing via Zoom on Monday, July 19, 2021, beginning at 1:00 p.m. regarding the Community Development Block Grant – Coronavirus Funds (CDBG-CV3).

Please join the meeting through an electronic device by clicking on the following link: https://okcommerce.zoom.us/j/97431668961 or entering this meeting ID through a Zoom app: 974 3166 896.

Alternatively, the meeting may also be joined via phone by calling: 346-248-7799 and entering Meeting ID: 97431668961#.

For additional online virtual public hearing access information and a copy of the Oklahoma’s Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus Funds (CDBG-CV3) Action Plan (available July 19, 2021), please visit https://www.okcommerce.gov/reporting-compliance/cdbgcovid-19/.

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce / Community Development (ODOC/CD) has received three rounds of CDBG-CV funds totaling $29.9 million ($8.6, $10.8 & $10.4 Million). Any remaining funds from round 2 will be added to round 3. Due to this reallocation of funds, ODOC/CD will be submitting a Substantial Amendment to add these funds to round 3.

Substantial Amendments are subject to a formal public hearing notification and public comment procedures as defined in Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 102 /Thursday, August 20, 2020 / Notice 51457. It is required that at least one public hearing be held regarding any Substantial Action Plan Amendment. Citizens and other stakeholders must have reasonable and timely access to these public hearings. Citizen Participation includes a public hearing, publication of the Action Plan on the State’s CDBG-CV website and public comment.

Per the Federal Register Notice guidelines, all amendments (Non-Substantial and Substantial) to the Action Plan will be posted online at the ODOC/CD CDBG-CV webpage (www.okcommerce.gov/reporting-compliance/cdbg-covid-19/) Public notice will also be given and published online at the ODOC/CD CDBGwebpage. Hard copies are available upon request. All interested parties, to include Citizens, units of local government, and community partners will be provided notice and the opportunity to comment on proposed Substantial Amendments to the Action Plan. No less than five (5) days are required for review and comment on the Substantial Amendment.

Written and oral comments regarding the State CDBG-CV3 Substantial Amendment will be accepted through Friday July 23, 2021. Questions regarding the CDBG-CV3 Public Hearing can be addressed by email or telephone to Kellon.Dixon@okcommerce.gov or 405-215-5626.

About CDBG-CV

On January 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first case in the United States of a coronavirus known by several names, including novel coronavirus, and SARS-CoV-2, and which causes the disease commonly referred to as COVID-19. On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (Public Law 116-136) (CARES Act). The CARES Act makes available $5 billion in Community Development Block Grant – CARES Act (CDBG-CV) funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. In the CARES Act and this notice, the term “coronavirus” means SARS-CoV-2 or another coronavirus with pandemic potential.

CDBG-CV grants are a flexible source of assistance for addressing the health and economic challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. These funds are intended to pay costs not covered by other forms of assistance and specifically benefit persons of low and moderate income for costs incurred on or after January 21, 2020. The Federal Register further details the rules, waivers and alternative requirements for CDBG-CV (Vol. 85, No.162, 51459).

Under the third-round allocation there is $10,441,433 available in CDBG-CV3 funds. The primary National Objective of the CDBG-CV Program is to meet the Low- and Moderate-Income (LMI) National Objective. The use of the “benefit to low- and moderate-income persons” CDBG-CV National Objective is considered a funding priority under the State’s CDBG-CV Program and is treated as such under the State’s individual CDBG-CV set-asides document for the achievement of the low- and moderate-income National Objective as delineated in 24 CFR §570.483 (Criteria for National Objectives). The purpose of CDBG-CV funding is to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.