Hamilton County Community Development's Pilot Countywide Façade Improvement Program
The pilot Countywide Façade Improvement Program (“CFIP”) is a resource offered by Hamilton County’s Community Development Division intended to strengthen the County’s qualifying communities by utilizing federal funding to support local for-profit businesses. Specifically, the CFIP offers federal grant money to qualifying businesses, which may be used to improve their façades and street appeal. The CFIP‘s intention is to positively affect the surrounding neighborhoods and boost qualifying local economies. More information can be found in the below Program Guidelines. Information requested in this application can be found in the below Outline of Application Questions.
Program Guidelines
Outline of Application Questions
Any questions regarding program requirements, project eligibility, or the application process can be directed to Caity Valley, Senior Program Manager, at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org
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1. Which of the following CDBG national objectives does this project meet? Please reference the respective requirements below to determine alignment and eligibility.
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Benefiting Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Persons
Eliminating or Preventing Slum and Blight
LMI Requirements
i.) An area is considered to meet the test of being LMI if there is a sufficiently large percentage (51 percent) of LMI persons residing in the service area as determined by the most recently available decennial Census information, or a current survey of the residents of the service area. ii.) The service area of the activity must be primarily residential and the activity must meet the identified needs of LMI persons. 1.) An activity with a service area that is not primarily residential may not qualify under the LMI area benefit category even if the activity provides benefits to all residents in the service area and 51 percent of the residents are LMI persons. 2.) This requirement does not apply to the location of the activity itself but rather the service area of the activity. As such it does not mean that activities located in commercial districts cannot be qualified under the LMI area benefit category on the virtue of their geography. The primarily residential test is applied to the service area of the activity. 3.) For example, if the commercial district is composed of stores and businesses that serve local customers such that the service area boundaries of the commercial district is around a primarily residential area with the requisite percentage of LMI residents, the activity qualifies under the LMI area benefit category.
Slum or Blight Requirements
i.) The area must be officially designated by the grantee and must meet a definition of a slum, blighted, deteriorated or deteriorating area under State or local law; OR ii.) The activity must be designed to eliminate specific conditions of blight or physical decay not located in a designated slum or blighted area. Rehabilitation of buildings is only to the extent necessary to eliminate specific conditions detrimental to public health and safety.
This pilot program is currently targeting specific local governments. Is the property located in a CFIP target local government / community?
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Addyston
Arlington Heights
Cheviot
Colerain Township
Elmwood Place
Golf Manor
Lincoln Heights
Lockland
Mt. Healthy
North College Hill
Norwood
The property is not located in a CFIP target local government
Is the property located in or is the project’s service area in a low-to-moderate income area? Use this link to determine if your property’s location or service area is located in a low-to-moderate income area as determined by HUD Census data: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/279eca0222754f8a954bbf8cf995a1a3 If you need support in identifying whether you are located in a low-moderate income area please contact Caity Valley at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org.
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Yes
No
See below for a description of choice limiting actions. Do you agree to avoid taking any choice limiting actions if awarded CDBG funding through the CFIP?
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Yes
No
Choice Limiting Actions
Activities that include Choice Limiting Actions are considered to be ineligible. Choice Limiting Actions (58.22) are any activities that the grantee undertakes including committing or expending HUD or non-HUD funds prior to the completion of a satisfactory Environmental Review for the aggregated project. Until the County issues a finding of no significant impact, no action concerning the proposal may be taken that would 1) Have an adverse environmental impact; or 2) Limit the choice of reasonable alternatives (40 CFR 1506.01). Choice Limiting actions include acquisition, leasing, rehabilitation, demolition, new construction, and ground disturbance such as clearing, grading and grubbing.
Any questions regarding program requirements, project eligibility, or the application process can be directed to Caity Valley, Senior Program Manager, at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org
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Name
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First Name
Last Name
Title
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Email
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example@example.com
Phone Number
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Please enter a valid phone number.
Enter the total request from Hamilton County Community Development CFIP
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Enter the total project budget
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Have you applied for any other funding to support this specific project? If yes, please describe the funding source and amount.
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Are you applying as the property owner, business owner, or both?
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Property owner
Business owner (tenant of the property)
I am both the business owner and the property owner
Notarized Letter of Approval OR Self-Attestation
If you are a tenant, you will need a notarized letter of approval / support from the property owner indicating their approval of the proposed improvements. If you are a property owner, please provide a letter of self-attestation of property ownership.
Notarized Letter
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If you are the tenant of the property, when does your lease expire?
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Month
/
Day
Year
Date
If you are the tenant of the property, do you have an option to renew your lease if it expires in less than 12 months? It is recommended that tenants have at least 12 months remaining on their lease, or an option to renew.
Yes
No
Any questions regarding program requirements, project eligibility, or the application process can be directed to Caity Valley, Senior Program Manager, at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org
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Please enter the Property Owner's Name and Company. For example: Jake Smith from ABC Property Owner Company, LLC.
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Please enter the property address
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Street Address
Street Address Line 2
City
State / Province
Postal / Zip Code
Please enter the property parcel number. Use this link to find a parcel number: https://wedge3.hcauditor.org/
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Is the property currently vacant?
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Yes
No
If the property is currently vacant, describe your plans for future occupancy.
Is the business considered to be small? Use this link to determine: https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide/basic-requirements
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Yes
No
Is the business considered to be local?
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Yes
No
Is the business a Section 3, Minority, and / or Woman-Owned business?
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Section 3 owned
Minority owned
Woman owned
Veteran owned
None of these apply
Any questions regarding program requirements, project eligibility, or the application process can be directed to Caity Valley, Senior Program Manager, at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org
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Please describe the goods or services that are provided by the business(es) that occupy the property.
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Please identify the target market, including the demographics and the geographical area that the business(es) typically serves. Include an estimate of the percentage of clients who live in the community.
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When was the business incorporated?
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What are the average price points for the goods and / or services the business provides?
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How does the business serve the surrounding neighborhood and low to moderate-income residents? This can be done through providing goods/services, employment opportunities, or other community service type activities. Use this link to see Income Guidelines for Hamilton County: https://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/government/departments/community_development/for_residents
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Any questions regarding program requirements, project eligibility, or the application process can be directed to Caity Valley, Senior Program Manager, at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org
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Provide a description of the desired improvements. Each improvement should be listed separately with a brief description. To see a list of eligible uses, please refer to the Eligible Uses list in the guidelines. Identify the type of surface to be refinished, altered, or painted such as wood, metal, concrete, brick, etc. where applicable (e.g., replace the existing garage bay door with a new garage bay door that matches our exterior paint color and that has four window panels).
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Attach photos of the property
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Attach architectural drawings of proposed updates, if available
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Describe the need for the project – how will these improvements help the property (e.g., energy efficiency, street appeal, ADA accommodation, enhanced safety, more efficient business operations, etc.)?
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How will the proposed improvements impact the surrounding neighborhood (e.g., enhance pedestrian accessibility, visual aesthetics, contribute to health and safety, etc.)?
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Any questions regarding program requirements, project eligibility, or the application process can be directed to Caity Valley, Senior Program Manager, at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org
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Reminder - Choice Limiting Actions
Please DO NOT acquire any official bids at this time, as that would be considered a choice limiting action.
Do you have estimated costs? If yes, who provided the cost estimates? Are they a construction professional or someone with comparable, reasonable expertise in construction cost estimates?
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30. Do you plan to contribute at least 20% of the overall project budget? This payment will be due as a down payment to the General Contractor within five days of contract execution; proof of payment will need to be provided to Hamilton County Community Development (e.g., cancelled check) before a notice to proceed is issued to the General Contractor.
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Please upload estimate documentation and / or a project budget
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Optional Attachments (e.g., letters of recommendation or support).
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Any questions regarding program requirements, project eligibility, or the application process can be directed to Caity Valley, Senior Program Manager, at caity.valley@hamilton-co.org
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