1. Eric Ogle, CDBG Program Director
Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs
CDBG
Eric Ogle, CDBG Program Director
Agency under the Office of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch

2. Vision
Bedford, Indiana
OCRA works with Indiana communities to build relevant and economically thriving places where people want to live, grow, work and play.

3. Mission
Jodi -
Zionsville, Indiana
OCRA works with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to aid communities in shaping and achieving their vision for economic development. 

4. Programs for Rural Indiana
Infrastructure
Ex: Wastewater/Drinking Water, Stormwater Improvement
Quality of Place
Ex: Blight Clearance, Public Facilities, QuIP, MSRP, HRGP
Capacity Building
Ex: Stellar
Economic Development 
Ex: Indiana Site Certified, Indiana Main Street

5. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
Goal:
encourage communities with eligible populations to focus on long-term community development. To be competitive, projects must demonstrate the following:
The particular project addresses the long-term planning and development efforts of the community;
The funds granted will have a significant impact on the overall project;
The community has demonstrated a strong commitment to the project and its sustainability; and
The project is ready to proceed upon grant award and will be completed within 18 months after grant award.

6. Hamilton County and Lake County
Qualifications
Who can apply? Non-Entitlement Cities, Incorporated Towns, Non-Entitlement Counties.
There are 21 Entitlement Communities & 2 Entitlement Counties within the State of Indiana:
City of Anderson
City of Gary
City of Michigan City
City of Bloomington
City of Goshen
City of Mishawaka
City of Columbus
City of Hammond
City of Muncie
City of East Chicago
City of Indianapolis
City of New Albany
City of Elkhart
City of Kokomo
City of South Bend
City of Evansville
City of Lafayette
City of Terre Haute
City of Ft. Wayne
City of LaPorte
City of West Lafayette
Hamilton County and Lake County

7. All projects require a minimum of a 10% local match.
Planning Grants
Environmental Assessment Studies will be limited to $15,000.
Infrastructure Studies are limited as follows:
$35,000 for a study on a single utility,
$45,000 for a study on two utilities, and
$50,000 for a master utility study (water, wastewater, and storm water).
Comprehensive plans are limited to $40,000.
Downtown revitalization plans are limited as follows:
Populations over 2,000 are limited to $40,000, and
Populations under 2,000 are limited to $30,000
Economic development plans are limited to $40,000.
Public facilities plans (including libraries, community centers, parks, etc.) will be limited to $20,000.
Historic preservation plans will be limited to $20,000.
All projects require a minimum of a 10% local match.

8. Infrastructure Programs

9. Infrastructure Programs

10. Stormwater Improvement Program
This program assist Indiana communities that suffer from flooded property and sewer backups and flooding due to inadequate stormwater management.
Max: $600,000
Local match: 10%

11. Wastewater Drinking Water
Maximum Grant Amounts
Rates for 4,000 gallons
User Rates
(Over $50)
($30 to $50)
(Under $30)
Projects over $1 million in total project cost
$700,000
$600,000
$550,000
Projects under $1 million in total project cost
$500,000
Local match: 20%
Types of activities:
Wastewater Improvements (collection lines, treatment plant, etc.
Drinking Water System Improvements (water tower, distribution)

12. Quality of Place Initiatives
Or your strategy can focus on product strengths. Maybe your downtown has many retail / service establishments that assist people with building, furnishing and decorating their homes. You can create an overall marketing plan based on that.

13. Main Street Revitalization
Max: $600,000
Local match: 20%
Must be an active Main Street
Eligible Projects include:
Streetscape
Façade Renovations

14. Main Street Revitalization

15. Main Street Revitalization

16. Public Facilities Program
Max: $500,000
Local match: 10%
Types of eligible activities:
Removal of Architectural Barriers for ADA Accessibility
Fire/EMS Stations
Healthcare Centers
Historic Preservation
Community Centers
Learning Centers
Daycare Centers
Libraries
Facilities for Special Needs Groups
Senior Centers
Youth Center
Two columns

17. Public Facilities Program
Two columns

18. Blight Clearance Program
The main goal is to eliminate commercial blight.
Relaunching Soon

19. BID Alternates vs. Change in Scope of Work
Best Practices
BID Alternates vs. Change in Scope of Work
Environmental Review
Modifications
Section 3

20. BID Alternates vs. Change Scope of Work
Change in the type of materials used
Less expensive features: granite vs. laminate countertop, brick vs. siding
Change in Scope of Work
Elimination of features from the original scope of work
Removing a block of sewer lines, eliminating new meters, removing a building from a façade project
Submit modification with justification
Must always be approved by OCRA
Reducing scope of work to lower project costs are NOT BID alternates
Changes in the scope of work are being bid as alternates, this is unacceptable. GAs must work with the engineer to make sure this does NOT happen
BID Alternates
A bid alternate is a change in the type of materials used
Less expensive features, windows, doors, HVAC units, insulation, roofing, granite v. laminate countertop, brick vs. siding
Change in Scope of Work
This includes eliminating features that were in the original scope of work such as removing a block of sewer lines, eliminating new meters, installing fewer hydrants, not installing new windows etc. all of which were included in the original application.
To remove work from the scope of work, the grantee must submit a scope of work modification to OCRA along with a justification for doing so. A change in the scope of work must always be approved by OCRA
Reducing the scope of work to lower project costs are not bid alternates.

21. Environmental Review Environmental Review
Categorically Excluded designation request
Scope of work description on form OR attached
Designation request prior to application
Minimum of two weeks
Include designation letter in application
Maps listed on FEEPS checklist are the ONLY ones required
Income Survey
Justification letter
Must provide community factors as rationale. Did a factory close recently resulting in higher unemployment rates? Recession impact MAY be a justification but it must be explained. How did the recession affect the community resulting in low income for residents? Bad ACS data is NOT justifiable.
Qualification of two areas – Area A is a community with a previous/valid income survey. An infrastructure project will benefit Area A, as well as a number of households in Area B. The two areas may qualify through the following:
Each area is 51% or more (Area A = 52%; Area B = 60%)
The two area totals may NOT be added: percentages are not added, number of respondents are not added and then calculated for a ”new” percentage total
If the areas individually are not over 51%, the areas may be combined in a new income survey
Environmental Review
Categorically Excluded
Some requests are not provided a description or enough of a description of the scope of work
Either provide clear description on form or attach a scope of work
Scope of entire project must be understood in order to make the CEST or CENST determination
Ask for designation prior to application, submit at minimum two weeks prior to deadline, include letter in application
Maps
Many are submitting more maps than what is necessary. For example, I do not review a soils map. Only maps required are those listed on FEEPS checklist.

22. Modifications Modifications
Requests submitted after a deadline will not be approved
Submit requests early, no guarantee a request submitted on the deadline day will be approved
Claim Form
Update due to Uniform Grant Guidance (2 CFR (a)), which requires “vouchers requesting payment under the agreements must include a certification, signed by an official who is authorized to legally bind the non-Federal entity.” The current state voucher form does not include the certification language, so we had to move to a new form.
New form – two versions – Both forms will auto-populated totals and remaining balances of line items. Do not use Microsoft Edge for the forms.
Generic claim form – OCRA Website
Use this form for any CDBG grants that have already received ROF
CDBG form – provided at Release of Funds
A prepopulated claim form will be issued for each grantee at ROF
Send forms to
Modifications
Requests submitted after a deadline will not be approved
Submit requests early, no guarantee a request submitted on the deadline day will be approved

23. Section 3 Section 3 Resident
Purpose: Employment and other economic opportunities to low- and very low income persons
Section 3 Resident
Public housing resident
Low- or very low-income person (80% and 50% of the median income)
New Hire: Full-time employee for a new permanent, temporary, or seasonal position that is created
Contractors/Subcontractors
Contracts in excess of $100,000
Employment and/or subcontracting opportunities
Purpose
- The purpose of Section 3 to ensure that employment and other economic opportunities generated by certain HUD financial assistance shall, to the greatest extent feasible, and consistent with existing Federal, State and local laws and regulations, be directed to low- and very low income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing, and to business concerns which provide economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons.
Section 3 Resident
1) Public housing resident
2) Low- or very low-income person residing in the metropolitan area or non-metropolitan county where the Section 3 covered assistance is expended
Metropolitan area/Non-metropolitan county
- Metropolitan area means a metropolitan statistical area (MSA), as established by the Office of Management and Budget. A non-metropolitan county means any county outside of a metropolitan area.
Low-Income and Very Low-Income:
Typically established at 80% and 50% of the median income based on income limits set by HUD.
New Hire
A new hire means a full-time employee for a new permanent, temporary, or seasonal position that is created as a direct result of the expenditure of Section 3 covered financial assistance. This includes laid-off workers that are “re-hired” as a result of a HUD-funded project.
Business Concern
Section 3 business concerns are businesses that can provide evidence that they meet one of the following criteria:
a) 51 percent or more owned by Section 3 residents; or
b) At least 30 percent of its full time employees include persons that are currently Section 3 residents, or were Section 3 residents within three years of the date of first hire*; or
c) Provides evidence, as required, of a commitment to subcontract in excess of 25 percent of the dollar award of all subcontracts to business concerns that meet one of the first two qualifications above.
Contractors/Subcontractors
All contractors or subcontractors that received covered contracts in excess of $100,000 for housing construction, rehabilitation, or other public construction are required to comply with the requirements of Section 3
If the contractor/subcontractor has the need to hire new persons to complete the Section 3 covered contract or needs to subcontract portions of the work to another business, they are required to direct their newly created employment and/or subcontracting opportunities to Section 3 residents and business concerns.

24. Section 3
HUD Priority
June conference – Secretary Carson keynote address
Annual Report
Compile and submit Section 3 data
Provide justification for not meeting established goals
Section 3 Civil Rights Form 8
Do not submit blank form
List all efforts made
Public housing
Prisoner reentry programs
Drug/alcohol recovery programs
Vocational schools
HUD Priority – HUD is paying more attention to Section 3 and so must we
June conference – Secretary Carson keynote address: first Section 3 conference; Secretary Carson attended and spoke to the increased attention
Annual Report – we submit an annual report identifying the number of new jobs created and the number of which are Section 3 hires. Keep in mind the project aggregate. If CDBG is a small part of a large project, any new hires from another part of the project should be reported.
Compile and submit Section 3 data
Provide justification for not meeting established goals – when we do not meet our Section 3 hire goals, we have to submit justification
Section 3 Civil Rights Form 8
Do not submit blank form – many forms are partially filled out so be sure to include grantee name, number, and contract amount of sub/contractor. Do not submit a blank form, write in zeros if that is the case.
List all efforts made – as you list efforts, we can include those efforts in the justification of our annual report – we are to the greatest extent feasible extending opportunities to Section 3 persons
Public housing
Prisoner reentry programs
Drug/alcohol recovery programs
Vocational schools

25. Community Liaisons
Northeast Andrea Kern (317)
Northwest
Gerry White
(317)
North Central Jennifer Vandeburg (317)
West Central
Paul Smith
(317)
East Central
Earnie Holtrey (317)
Southeast
Jennifer Voris
(317)
Southwest
Lori Buehlman Daniel
(317)
| One North Capitol, Suite 600, Indianapolis, IN |

26. Eric Ogle, CDBG Program Director
Questions?
Eric Ogle, CDBG Program Director
(317)
@IndianaOCRA
IndianaOCRA
ocra.in.gov