Mentor Community Development Block Grant

The City of Mentor has been identified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as an Entitlement Community, allowing it to qualify for formula Community Development Block (CDBG) funds each year. These grant funds are used to provide decent housing and a suitable living environment and expand economic opportunity for primarily low- and moderate-income persons. The CDBG program has been authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended.

How the Mentor CDBG Program Helps Mentor Residents

Single Family Housing Rehabilitation Program
The City of Mentor’s Single Family Housing Rehabilitation (SFHR) program is designed to assist qualified low to moderate income Mentor residents to have eligible repairs made to their owner-occupied residential property and upgrade their living conditions. Up to $10,000 per property is available for those who qualify.

Qualifying improvements would generally be those that will bring the structure into greater compliance with local codes and can include:

  • Any energy conservation improvements which, when made in conjunction with other code improvements, result in substantial weatherization. Site improvements to ensure proper building and yard drainage
  • Repair or replace existing sidewalks
  • Handicapped accessibility improvements
  • Exterior painting
  • Electric and electrical panel updates
  • Foundation repair and waterproofing
  • Furnace repair and replacement
  • Vermin and insect removal
  • Plumbing repairs including hot water tank replacement
  • Connection to sanitary sewer and/or water line

This program is administered by Western Reserve Community Development Corporation.  Applicants’ income must be 80% (or less) of HUD’s annually established median income for Mentor.

For additional program information or questions, contact Program Manager Toni Marie Ciliberto at tciliberto@wrcdc.org or (440) 357-4400.  Learn more about  Single-Family Housing Rehabilitation Program on the Western Reserve Community Development website.

The City of Mentor is now accepting applications for Community Development Block Grant funded projects for the program period of October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025.

The total Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds available to the City of Mentor for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 will be $162,641 or a reduction of $2,032 from (FY) 2023.

Federal regulations require that all projects benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons, aid in the elimination of slums and blight, or meet community needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose an immediate threat to public health or welfare.

The City of Mentor will provide technical assistance to any applicant submitting a proposal. To request assistance, please contact Grant Supervisor Kevin Grippi at Grippi@cityofmentor.com or 440-974-5714 or Planner Larry Rastatter at Rastatter@cityofmentor.com or 440-974-5740.

Applications must be received by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

As outlined in 24 CFR § 570.201, the CDBG program funds may be spent for qualifying activities that include:

  • Acquisition of Real Property
  • Clearance
  • Code Enforcement
  • Construction of Housing
  • Disposition
  • Homeownership Assistance
  • Interim Assistance
  • Loss of Rental Income
  • Microenterprise Assistance
  • Miscellaneous Other Activities
  • Planning and Capacity Building
  • Privately-Owned Utilities
  • Program Administration Costs
  • Public Facilities and Improvements
  • Public Services
  • Rehabilitation
  • Relocation
  • Special Activities by CBDOs
  • Special Economic Development Activities

Once a program/project has been identified as meeting one of the qualifying activity categories above, it must also meet one of the National Objectives before it can be funded through the CDBG program. The National Objectives are as follows:

Activities Benefiting Low- to Moderate (L/M) Income Persons

  • L/M Income Area Benefit
  • L/M Income Limited Clientele
  • L/M Income Housing
  • L/M Income Jobs

Prevention/Elimination of Slums or Blight

  • Addressing Slums or Blight on an Area Basis
  • Addressing Slums or Blight on a Spot Basis
  • Addressing Slums or Blight in an Urban Renewal Area

Urgent Needs
Additional information on the Eligible Activities and National Objectives can be found on the HUD Exchange website.

The City of Mentor’s formula allocation varies each year. Below is an overview of the CDBG allocations since 2015.

Year Award View Allocations
2024 $162,641 PDF
2022 $158,867 PDF
2021 $156,306 PDF
2020 $160,491 PDF
2019 $153,776 PDF
2018 $175,076 PDF
2017 $162,531 PDF
2016 $164,531 PDF
2015 $169,218 PDF

The CDBG Entitlement Communities are required by HUD to complete a Consolidated Plan, which is designed to help jurisdictions assess their affordable housing and community development needs, while providing a guidance for data-driven, place-based investment decisions. The Consolidated Plan serves as the framework for the Annual Action Plans and can be used for three to five years before being rewritten. The Action Plans span one year and include a more concise summary of the actions and activities that will occur to meet the goals identified in the Consolidated Plan.

The purpose of a Substantial Amendment is to reprogram unspent grant funds. In most cases, these funds are from unspent balances that subrecipients have not fully exhausted during the program year. To move these funds to a new program, the City is required to abide by its Citizen Participation Plan and solicit community input on any proposed changes. These changes must also be reviewed and approved by city council. The following amendments have been approved for the fiscal year 2019 program period.

As a recipient of CDBG funds, the City of Mentor is required by HUD to engage stakeholders and the public in identifying community needs and ensuring the grant awards align with those needs. Each year, the City solicits feedback from the community in two public meetings after the funding is announced – one that occurs before development of the Annual Action Plan and one following publication of the allocations that will be submitted in the Action Plan. Additional information on this participation can be found in the City’s Citizen Participation Plan.

Click to download the 2024 City of Mentor, Ohio CDBG Annual Action Plan

CDGB NOTICES

Contact

For questions regarding the City of Mentor CDBG program, contact;

Kevin Grippi
Grant Supervisor
City Manager’s Office
8500 Civic Center Boulevard
Mentor, Ohio 44060-2418
(P) 440-974-5714
grippi@cityofmentor.com

Larry Rastatter, AICP
Planner
Planning & Development Office
8500 Civic Center Boulevard
Mentor, Ohio 44060-2418
(P) 440-974-5740
Rastatter@cityofmentor.com