City of Clarion to send out survey to residents

The City of Clarion is interested in applying to the State of Iowa for federal HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to leverage city dollars to make needed improvements to community infrastructure and housing. The City is investigating submission of applications for housing rehabilitation, sanitary sewer pipe slip lining with connections and storm water drainage improvements.  The primary goal under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act is the development of viable communities by providing decent housing and suitable living environments principally serving persons with low and moderate incomes (LMI). For these purposes, LMI persons have incomes at or below 80% of the area median income, defined by HUD.

                To be eligible to apply for funding, at least 51% of those benefitted by the improvement must be considered LMI qualified. The city is conducting a required income survey to ascertain its eligibility to apply in a section in the south half of town where improvements are needed. The survey is critical to be able to apply. It is anonymous and asks residents to identify how many are in the household and what the income range is and ethnic and racial information. No one is asked to disclose their personal income. The survey will be mailed the week of September 23, 2013. Responses are due by Monday, October 7 to City Hall. At least 80% of residents in the area must return the survey in order to be accepted by Iowa Economic Development Authority.     The surveys will have a number on them that identifies the block to be able to see which blocks have submitted survey. 

                For questions, contact, Shelley Pohlman, City Administrator at City Hall 515-532-2487.

For the map of the survey, cilck here.