2025 CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
Introduction
The City of Fresno (City) is a federal entitlement jurisdiction that receives federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The City of Fresno receives federal entitlement grant funding for the following programs:
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)
As an entitlement jurisdiction, the City is required to prepare a:
Five Year Consolidated Plan (Consolidated Plan)
Annual Action Plan
Annual Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)
Under HUD’s Code of Final Regulations for the Consolidated Plan (24 CFR Part 91 Sec. 91.105), the City must adopt a Citizen Participation Plan (CPP) that sets forth the City’s policies and procedures for citizen participation in the planning, execution, and evaluation of the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to the Annual Action Plans, and CAPERs. This CPP provides guidelines for the City to provide and encourage public participation by residents, community stakeholders, and grant beneficiaries in the process of drafting, implementing, and evaluating the Consolidated Plan and related documents. The citizen participation process includes outreach, public hearings, community forums, and opportunities for comment.
Definitions
Annual Action Plan: The Annual Action Plan summarizes the activities that will be undertaken in the upcoming Program Year (PY) to meet the goals outlined in the Consolidated Plan. The Annual Action Plan also identifies the federal and non- federal resources that will be used to meet the goals of the approved Consolidated Plan.
Citizen Participation Plan (CPP): The CPP provides guidelines by which the City will promote engagement in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the distribution of federal funds, as outlined in the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to the Annual Action Plans, and CAPERs.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): HUD’s CDBG program provides communities with resources to address a wide range of housing and community development needs that benefit low- and moderate-income persons and areas.
Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER): The CAPER assesses the City’s annual achievements relative to the goals in the Consolidated Plan and proposed activities in the Annual Action Plan. HUD requires the City to prepare a CAPER at the end of each program year.
Department Of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): HUD is the federal government agency that creates and manages programs pertaining to federal home ownership, affordable housing, fair housing, homelessness, and community and housing development.
Displacement: Displacement refers to the involuntary relocation of individuals from their homes, businesses, or farms due to the acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition of real property for federal or federally funded projects.
Eligible Activity: Activities that are allowable uses of the CDBG funds covered by the CPP as defined in 24 CFR Part 570 Subpart C.
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): HUD’s ESG program provides communities with resources to serve homeless individuals and families via Street Outreach, Emergency Shelter, Homelessness Prevention, Rapid Re-Housing Assistance, Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and Administrative Activities.
Entitlement Jurisdiction: A city with a population of at least 50,000, a central city of a metropolitan area, or a qualified urban county with a population of at least 200,000 that receives grant funding from HUD.
Fair Housing Study: The report required by HUD currently known as an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) or any other successor study or report for the purpose of evaluating the City’s affirmative commitment to fair housing.
Five Year Consolidated Plan: HUD requires entitlement jurisdictions to prepare a Consolidated Plan every five years. The Consolidated Plan is a strategic plan that identifies housing, economic, and community development needs and prioritizes funding to address those needs over a five-year period.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME): The HUD HOME program provides resources to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable rental or homeownership housing or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people.
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): The HUD HOPWA program provides resources, including housing and social services, chemical dependency treatment, nutritional services, case management, and assistance with daily living, that benefit low-income persons medically diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families.
Low- and Moderate-Income (LMI): As defined annually by HUD, Low- and Moderate-Income is 0-80 percent of area median family income (AMI) for a jurisdiction, with adjustments for smaller or larger families. This includes those individuals presumed by HUD to be principally LMI (abused children, battered spouses, elderly persons, severely disabled adults, homeless persons, illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, and migrant farm workers). HUD utilizes three income levels to define LMI households:
o Extremely low-income: Households earning 30 percent or less than the AMI (subject to specified adjustments for areas with unusually high or low- incomes).
o Very low-income: Households earning 50 percent or less than the AMI (subject to specified adjustments for areas with unusually high or low- incomes).
o Low- and moderate-income: Households earning 80 percent or less than the AMI (subject to adjustments for areas with unusually high or low- incomes or housing costs).
Public Hearing: Public hearings are designed to provide the public the opportunity to make public testimony and comment. Public hearings related to the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to the Annual Action Plans, CAPERs, and Fair Housing Study are to be advertised in local newspapers and made accessible to non-English speakers and individuals with disabilities.
Substantial Amendments: Amendments are considered “Substantial” whenever one of the following is proposed:
o A change in the allocation priorities or a change in the method of fund distribution.
o A change which increases or decreases by 25 percent the amount allocated to a category of funding within the City’s entitlement grant programs (as listed on the following page).
CDBG ESG HOME HOPWA
Administration Administration Administration Administration Public Services Street
Outreach/Shelters
Homeowner
rehabilitation
Tenant-Based
Rental
Assistance
Affordable
Housing
Rapid Re-housing Affordable
Housing
Development
(Rental and/or
homebuyer)
Short-term rent,
mortgage,
security deposit
and utility
assistance
Public Facilities/
Infrastructure
Homeless
Management
Information
Systems
Tenant-Based
Rental
Assistance
Information/
Support
Services
o To implement a new activity using funds from any program covered by the Consolidated Plan that was not described in the Consolidated Plan or the current year Annual Action Plan.
o To change the purpose, scope, location, or intended beneficiaries of an activity approved for program funds covered by the Consolidated Plan, e.g., instead of primarily benefitting low-income households the activity instead proposes to benefit mostly moderate-income households.
Roles, Responsibilities, and Contact Information
The City of Fresno is a federal entitlement jurisdiction and is a recipient of grant funding from the federal government.
The City of Fresno’s Charter established a council and manager form of government.
Fresno’s City Council is the elected legislative body of the City and is responsible for approving its Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to Annual Action Plans, and CAPERs prior to their submission to HUD.
It is the intent of the City to provide for and encourage citizen participation, with particular emphasis on participation by people who are beneficiaries of or live in the immediate area impacted by entitlement- funded activities. The City encourages participation in all stages of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Planning processes by all residents, including minorities and non-English speaking people; as well as people with mobility, visual, or hearing impairments; and residents of assisted housing developments and recipients of tenant-based rental assistance.
In general, hearings will be held at City Hall due to its central location, convenient access, and disability accessibility. Translation services will be provided when there is an indication that non- English-speaking people will be attending. Other reasonable accommodations will be provided on a case-by-case basis.
The General Contact Information for the City’s HUD
Entitlement Programs is:
Karen Jenks
City of Fresno
Planning and Development Department
Community Development Division
2600 Fresno Street Room 3065
Fresno, CA 93721
559.621.8507
[email protected]
Citizen Participation Policies
Public Hearings
The City will hold at least two public hearings per year, conducted at a minimum of two different points in time during the program year, to obtain residents' views, comments, and questions. Together, the hearings must address housing and community development needs, non-housing community development needs, development of proposed activities, proposed strategies and actions for affirmatively furthering fair housing consistent with the Fair Housing Study, and a review of program performance.
At least one of these hearings is held before the proposed Consolidated Plan is published for comment. At least one public hearing per year will be held before City Council.
The City Council public hearings will be held at Fresno City Hall, Council Chambers located at 2600 Fresno Street, Room 2097, Fresno, CA 93721. Listening devices, interpretation services, and other assistance to persons with disabilities or those with limited English proficiency will be provided upon request made to the City Clerk up to five business days prior to the hearing. Requests for disability-related modifications or accommodations required to facilitate meeting participation, including requests for auxiliary aids, services or interpreters, require different lead times, ranging up to five business days. For this reason, it is important to provide as much advance notice as possible to ensure availability. Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are available upon request.
In the event that the City is unable to allow in-person public participation at a public hearing due to a local, state, or federal order, a public hearing may be conducted with remote public participation. Remote public participation options will include, at a minimum, a method for the public to listen to the public hearing, submit comments verbally by phone, and submit comments in writing or verbally using an Internet application on an Internet-enabled device.
In the development of the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and Fair Housing Study, the City will encourage the participation of:
Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care;
Public and private agencies that provide assisted housing, health services, and social services (including those focusing on services to children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, homeless persons);
Community-based and regionally-based organizations that represent protected class members;
Broadband internet service providers;
Organizations engaged in narrowing the digital divide; Agencies whose primary responsibilities include the management of flood prone areas, public land, or water resources;
Emergency management agencies;
Organizations that enforce fair housing laws; and
Other organizations including businesses, developers, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic organizations, and community-based and faith-based organizations.
Notice of Hearings and Review Periods
To allow the public time to provide comments prior to the City Council adopting and/or approving an item, the City will hold the following minimum public review and comment periods:
A minimum 30-day public review and comment period for the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments, or Fair Housing Study. A minimum 15-day public review and comment period for each CAPER and amendments to the CPP.
A minimum 5-day public review period for Substantial Amendments during a declared State of Emergency.
Copies of the draft plans or reports will be available to the public at City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, Room 3065, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721 and on the City’s website at https://www.fresno.gov/housing.
The City will place public notices online through the City’s website and through advertisement in the Fresno Bee in advance of the public review and comment period.
To ensure that the public, including minorities, persons with limited English proficiency, persons with disabilities, residents of public and assisted housing, and LMI residents are able to participate in the public review process, the City will provide residents, public agencies, and other stakeholders with notices on applicable public review periods and public hearings that adhere to the following:
Notices for the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Fair Housing Study, Substantial Amendments to Annual Action Plans, CPP, and CAPERs will be published prior to the start of the public comment period and at least 15 days before the final public hearing.
Notices for Substantial Amendments during a declared State of Emergency will be published prior to the start of the public comment period and at least 3 days before the final public hearing.
All notices will include information regarding how to request accommodation and services available for persons with disabilities who wish to attend the public hearings.
All notices will include information on how to obtain a copy of the draft documents and the scheduled hearing dates, times, and locations.
The notices will be published in the newspaper and distributed via e-mail to persons and agencies on the contact list maintained by the City for those parties expressing interest in receiving information and updates related to the City’s Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, CAPERs, Substantial Amendments to Annual Action Plans, CPP, and Fair Housing Study. Interested parties may request to be added to this contact list by sending an email to [email protected], by calling (559) 621-8300, or by writing to the Community Development Division, Room 3065, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721.
The notices will also be distributed through Internet-based communication platforms maintained by City of Fresno Public Affairs, such as Facebook or X. The notices will include information on how to obtain a copy of the draft documents and scheduled hearing dates, times, and locations.
The public may submit comments on draft documents in writing to the Community Development Division, Room 3065, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721; via email to [email protected]; or by phone at (559) 621-8300. Comments may also be submitted in person to the Community Development Division, Room 3065, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721, during regularly scheduled business hours and during public hearings.
When necessary or applicable, the City may combine notices complying with several individual requirements into one comprehensive notice for dissemination and publication.
In the event that a public hearing will be conducted remotely, the public notice will include information instructing the public how to acquire specific technical instructions for participation.
Comments on Adopted Plans
The City shall consider any comments or views of residents received in writing, or orally at public hearings, in preparing the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to Annual Action Plans, CPP, CAPERs, and Fair Housing Study. A summary of comments or views, and the City’s response to each, will be attached to the final documents submitted to HUD.
The public may submit comments in writing to the Community Development Division, Room 3065, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721; via email to [email protected]; or by phone at (559) 621-8300. Comments may also be submitted in person to the Community Development Division, Room 3065, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721, during regularly scheduled business hours.
HUD officials will consider public concerns regarding the City’s plans and programs described in this Citizen Participation Plan. Written concerns may be submitted to:
Rebecca Blanco, Director Community Planning and Development Division U.S.
Department of Housing & Urban Development San Francisco Regional Office, Region IX, One Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104-4430.
Availability and Accessibility of Draft and Approved Documents The public comment draft and final versions of the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to Annual Action Plans, CPP, CAPERs, and Fair Housing Study will be available online at the City’s website:
https://www.fresno.gov/housing. Hard copies of all draft documents will be available at Fresno Planning and Development, Room 3065, 2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721 and upon written request. If the City is unable to provide immediate access to the documents requested, it will make every effort to provide the documents and reports within 15 business days from the receipt of the request.
Once the draft Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to Annual Action Plans, CPP, CAPERS, and Fair Housing Study are approved by Council, the drafts become final versions. The final versions will replace previous draft versions on the City’s website: https://www.fresno.gov/housing. Physical copies of all final documents will be available upon written request. If the City is unable to provide immediate access to the documents requested, it will make every effort to provide the documents and reports within 15 business days from the receipt of the request.
The City will take reasonable steps to provide language assistance to ensure meaningful access to participation by non-English-speaking residents of the community.
Public notices will include the following notes to contact the Community Development Division should the information be needed in Spanish or Hmong:
Si necesita información en español sobre este aviso, llame al 559-621-8300 o por correo electrónico a [email protected].
Yog xav paub ntxiv txog tsab ntawv ceeb toom no, hu rau 559-621-8300 lossis email rau [email protected].
Displacement Policy
As part of the CPP, the City must maintain a displacement policy. It is the intent of the City to minimize direct and/or indirect displacement of individuals from their property to the greatest extent possible. Displacement refers to the involuntary relocation of individuals from their from their homes, business, or farms due to the acquisition, rehabilitation, or demolition of real property for federal or federally funded projects. The City will continue to use existing federal and state relocation guidelines, as applicable, to minimize displacement and to alleviate the problems caused by displacement. Both the federal government and the State of California have specific requirements dictating the amount of benefits and assistance that must be provided people and households with low-incomes or businesses that are relocated from their homes or business as a result of displacement. Depending on the funding source, displaced persons may be offered one or more of the following:
A rent subsidy for another unit
Funds to be used for rent or a down payment on the purchase of a dwelling unit Moving and related expenses
Displaced businesses may be offered reimbursement for one or more of the following:
Searching for a new location
Moving
Reestablishing the business
The City’s rehabilitation programs may also trigger relocation requirements when providing minor updates to existing dwellings in order to address overcrowding. Any temporary relocation costs are included in the rehabilitation package offered to clients.
Technical Assistance
The City will, to the extent feasible, respond to requests for technical assistance from entities representing LMI groups who are seeking federal entitlement funding in accordance with grant procedures. This may include, but is not limited to, providing information regarding how to fill out applications, other potential funding sources, and referrals to appropriate agencies within and outside the City. "Technical assistance," as used here, does not include the provision of funds to the entities requesting such assistance. Assistance will also be provided by Community Development Division staff to interested individuals and resident groups who need further explanation on the background and intent of the Housing and Community Development Act, interpretation of specific HUD regulations, and project eligibility criteria for federal grants.
Development of the Consolidated Plan
At or as soon as feasible after the start of the public participation process the City will make the HUD-provided data and any other supplemental information the City plans to incorporate into its Consolidated Plan available to its residents, public agencies, and other interested parties. The City may make the HUD-provided data available to the public by cross-referencing to the data on HUD's website.
Before the City adopts a Consolidated Plan, it will publish on its website for residents, public agencies, and other interested parties, information that includes the amount of assistance the City expects to receive (including grant funds and program income) and the range of activities that may be undertaken, including the estimated amount that will benefit persons of low- and moderate-income.
In developing the Consolidated Plan, the City will consult with local and regional institutions, Continuums of Care, and other organizations (including businesses, developers, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic organizations, and community-based and faith-based organizations). The City will encourage participation by low- and moderate-income persons, particularly those persons living in areas where CDBG funds are proposed to be used, and by residents of predominantly low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.
Public Hearings: The City will hold at least two public hearings per year, conducted at a minimum of two different points in time during the program year, to obtain residents' views, comments, and questions. Together, the hearings will address housing and community development needs, development of proposed activities, proposed strategies and actions for affirmatively furthering fair housing, and a review of program performance.
No later than the date of the first public hearing on the Consolidated Plan, the HUD-provided data and other supplemental data will be made available to the general public. This may include a link to HUD’s website where the data can be readily accessed.
Publication of the Proposed Consolidated Plan: When complete, the City will make available the draft Consolidated Plan for a period of no less than 30 days in a manner that affords residents, public agencies, and other interested parties a reasonable opportunity to examine its contents and submit comments. Notice of the public comment period on the draft Consolidated Plan will be published in the Fresno Bee. The public notice will include a brief summary of the content and purpose of the draft Consolidated Plan, the dates of the public display and comment period, the locations where copies of the draft document can be examined, how comments will be accepted, and when the document will be considered for action by the City Council.
Revisions to the Consolidated Plan/Annual Action Plan : The City may substantially amend its Consolidated Plan or Annual Action Plan under the following circumstances (see above sections for processes for substantial amendments):
o A change in the allocation priorities or a change in the method of fund distribution.
o A change which increases or decreases by 25 percent the amount allocated to a category of funding within the City’s entitlement grant programs (as listed below).
o To implement a new activity using funds from any program covered by the Consolidated Plan that was not described in the Consolidated Plan or the current year Annual Action Plan.
o To change the purpose, scope, location, or intended beneficiaries of an activity approved for program funds covered by the Consolidated Plan, e.g., instead of primarily benefitting low-income households the activity instead proposes to benefit mostly moderate-income households.
Development of the Fair Housing Study (AI or successor study) In developing the Fair Housing Study, the City will consult with community-based and regionally-based organizations that represent protected class members, and organizations that enforce fair housing laws, including the Fair Housing Council of Central California and other nonprofit organizations that may receive funding under HUD’s Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP) or that may have other specialized knowledge of fair housing within the city.
Introductory Public Hearing: During the preparation of the Fair Housing Study, at least two hearings will be held to obtain the views of the general public on fair housing-related data and affirmatively furthering fair housing in the City’s housing and community development programs. The first public hearing will solicit input on fair housing issues in the city and shall be held during development of the Fair Housing Study, before the draft is published for comment.
No later than the date of the first public hearing on the Fair Housing Study, the HUD-provided data and other supplemental data will be made available to the general public. This may include a link to HUD’s website where the data can be readily accessed.
Publication of the Proposed AI: When complete, the City will make available the draft Fair Housing Study for a period of no less than 30 days in a manner that affords residents, public agencies, and other interested parties a reasonable opportunity to examine its contents and submit comments. Notice of the public comment period on the draft Fair Housing Study will be published in the Fresno Bee. The public notice will include a brief summary of the content and purpose of the draft Fair Housing Study, the dates of the public display and comment period, the locations where copies of the draft document can be examined, how comments will be accepted, and when the document will be considered for action by the City Council.
A second public hearing will be conducted during or after the 30-day public comment period on the Fair Housing Study during which the City will address identified factors contributing to fair housing issues, and proposed fair housing goals and priorities for affirmatively furthering fair housing. Any comments or views of residents of the community received in writing, or verbally at the public hearing, will be considered by the City in preparing the final Fair Housing Study and a summary of these comments or views shall be attached to the final Fair Housing Study.
Revisions to the Fair Housing Study: The City may revise its Fair Housing Study under the following circumstances:
o A material change occurs. A material change is a change in circumstances in the City that affects the information on which the Fair Housing Study is based to the extent that the analysis, the fair housing contributing factors, or the priorities and goals of the Study no longer reflect actual circumstances. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Presidentially declared disasters, under Title IV of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), affecting the jurisdiction that are of such a nature as to significantly impact the steps the City may need to take to affirmatively further fair housing
Significant demographic changes
New significant contributing factors in the city, and Civil rights findings, determinations, settlements (including voluntary compliance agreements), or court orders.
o Upon HUD's written notification specifying a material change that requires the revision.
Complaints
The City will respond to complaints from residents related to the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Substantial Amendments to Annual Action Plans, CPP, CAPERs, and Fair Housing Study. Complaints shall be submitted in writing to the Community Development Division via mail at 2600 Fresno Street, Room 3065, Fresno, CA 93721; or via email to [email protected]. The City will provide a written response within 15 business days of receipt of the complaint.