Community Development Program

The Department of Community Development administers funds provided to the City from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Under the guidence and direction of the Community Development Advisory Committee and City Council, the funds are used to assist individuals, private developers, and not-for-profit organizations in the production of new housing, the rehabilitation of existing housing, neighborhood redevelopment, and provide resources for economic development and human service programs. Primary federal funding sources include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and Home Investment Partnerships program (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program plus other grant and loan programs. With the use of these public funds, the Department also helps attract private funds for residential, commercial, and industrial development. Residents of Council Bluffs may qualify for assistance from the Department through grants or low interest loans to purchase or rehabilitate housing, to undertake emergency repairs to their homes, or to improve accessibility through barrier removal. Eligibility for participation is based upon income, and, in some cases, may be limited to targeted areas of the City. For more information contact the Department directly.

Consolidated Annual Action Plan

A central provision of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 requires cities to develop and submit a document otherwise known as a Consolidated Plan, which assesses various housing needs in their community, and which designs affordable, special-needs housing strategies, and action programs to meet those needs.

The Purpose of the Consolidated Plan, as outlined by HUD, is to:

• Incorporate all housing related elements into a single planning document making it a useful tool in addressing housing needs;

• Encourage cities to develop housing strategies based upon a holistic examination of overall housing needs, to establish goals for, and plan for carrying out various activities;

• Serve as an action oriented management tool for cities and as a monitoring tool for HUD to determine how effectively the city is satisfying its needs with the available resources;

• Assess the housing needs of the city's very-low, low, and moderate-income families, including the needs of the homeless individuals and families, and to evaluate the availability of housing resources, both unassisted and assisted housing;

• Develop a strategy for meeting the City's housing assistance needs over the next five years; and

• Develop a one year action plan the consolidates the submission requirements of the CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA programs.

The Consolidated Plan is now available online. The Consolidated plan is in Adobe Acrobat format. You must have the free "Acrobat Reader" software loaded on your PC in order to view or print the document.

FY 2008 Annual Action Plan

Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER)

2007 Consolidated Action Plan - Amended 8-13-07

Public Notice of Availability - Consolidated Annual Plan Amended 8-13-07

2007 Consolidated Action Plan

2006 Consolidated Action Plan

2005 Consolidated Action Plan

Citizen Participation

A critical component of the community development process is citizen participation. In fact, HUD requires the city to develop and follow a detailed plan which provides for and encourages citizen participation. Once a year the City solicits and accepts proposals for activities which are eligible for assistance under the CDBG and HOME Program. Meetings and public hearings are held by the City's Community Development Advisory Committee to receive public comments and provide information to the public on the preparation, implementation, and evaluation of the CDBG funded programs in the Community Development Department. The Advisory Committee then formulates recommendations to City Council on the proposed programs for the Council's review and approval.

The City's Citizen Participation Plan is in available in Adobe Acrobat format. You must have the free "Acrobat Reader software loaded on your PC in order to view or print the document.

Citizen Participation Plan

CDBG, HOME, and ESG Program Information

For additional information on the CDBG, HOME, and ESG programs select one of the following links:

Community Development Block Grant Program

HOME Investment Partnerships Program

Emergency Shelter Grant Program