Final Draft 2020 Annual Action Plan
The City of Seattle, as part of its normal Annual Action Plan adoption process, posted a 30-day public comment period prior to this notice and ending on April 6th, 2020 for the Draft 2020 Annual Action Plan (AAP) to the 2018-22 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development. The Draft 2020 AAP includes proposed guidance for the allocation of an estimated $16.7 million of 2020 federal grant revenue [approximately $9.6 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $3.3 million in HOME program funds, $820,644 in Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG) funds and $2.9 million in Housing Opportunity for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds] from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In response to the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19 in Seattle and its impact on small businesses, the City decided to reprogram 2018 and 2019 underspent funding and combine this with a portion of 2020 allocations to fund grants (up to $10,000 per grantee) for businesses located in Seattle with up to five employees whose owners otherwise meet eligibility criteria for use of CDBG funds (up to 80% average median income for Seattle).
The City of Seattle, as directed by the CARES Act, is substantially amending its Annual Action Plan to accept the first round of CARES Act funding from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) Housing Opportunity for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) programs. This amendment describes how the City will use the approximately $8.9m allocated to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus.
As amended by the CARES Act, the City was required to post a 5-day public comment period, followed by a public hearing, prior to submitting the amended Annual Action Plan (AAP) to the 2018-22 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development federal department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Annual Action Plan responds to HUD requirements for the City of Seattle to access these funds. It describes the allocations of these funds to address the housing, homeless, community development and economic development needs of the City’s low and moderate income residents and neighborhoods.
The first round of funds noted above was allocated as outlined below:
| Revenue Source | CARES Act Allocation | |
| Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) | $5,640,185 | |
| Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) | $2,829,807 | |
| Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) | $426,340 | |
| TOTAL | = | $8,896,332 |
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CV-OED 2020 Small Business Stabilization Round 2 |
CPD: Increase Small Business Assistance |
AFH: Displacement due to economic pressure |
Other - CDBG-CV: $1,410,045 |
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Description |
This project will issue stabilization grants to microenterprises to ensure they are able to meet their financial obligations during income losses attributed to the COVID19 outbreak |
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Target Date for Completion |
12/31/2020 |
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Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities |
Approximately 50 microenterprises whose businesses have been impacted by the COVID19 crisis will benefit from the proposed activity. |
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Location Description |
Citywide |
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Planned Activities |
The City of Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) offers grants of up to $10,000 to microenterprises with low- and moderate- income owners located in Seattle. Grants may be used to cover the day-to-day operating expenses of the business, such as but not limited to payroll or losses due to the impacts of the COVID19 crisis. |
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ESG20 Seattle |
CPD: Increase homeless services |
AFH: Displacement due to economic pressure |
Other - HESG-CV: $2,829,807 |
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Description |
HESG-CV funds will support short term rent assistance and the provision of meals to shelter participants. |
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Target Date for Completion |
06/30/2021 |
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Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities |
70 individuals with extremely low incomes who are categorized as high risk for catching COVID-19, and at risk of losing their housing will benefit from the rental assistance program. 1000 individuals and households experiencing homelessness and residing in emergency shelters will benefit from the provision of meals at these sites. |
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Location Description |
Citywide |
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Planned Activities |
A medium-term rental assistance program will provide up to one-year of rental assistance and case management for individuals who are 1) age 50 or older, 2) at high risk of COVID-19, 3) have income limited to federal disability benefits, especially Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), that is not more than $1,000 per month, 4) are at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness; Meals will be provided to people who are accessing emergency shelters which have been de-intensified and spread across the City to ensure social distancing and safety during the COVID-19 crisis through two subrecipient agreements with meal providers who will work with shelter programs. |
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CV-HSD 2020 Emergency Rental Assistance: general |
AFH/CPD:Resources for at-risk renters/owners |
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AFH: Displacement due to economic pressure |
Other - CDBG-CV: $2,819,550 |
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Description |
Funds will be made available through existing Rental Assistance providers, who will enter into subrecipient agreements with the City of Seattle and provide emergency rental assistance to households whose housing is at risk because they have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. |
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Target Date for Completion |
12/31/2020 |
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Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities |
600 households with low- and moderate-incomes will benefit from these proposed activities. |
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Location Description |
Citywide |
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Planned Activities |
50% of the funds are to be made available to up to 10 current providers of Homelessness Prevention Assistance; 50% will be made available to the United Way of King County’s “Homeward Bound” program. Emergency rent payments will be made to landlords on tenants’ behalf, to ensure they are able to maintain housing. |
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CV-OH 2020 Emergency Rental Assistance: Affordable Housing |
AFH/CPD:Resources for at-risk renters/owners |
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AFH: Displacement due to economic pressure |
Other - CDBG-CV: $1,410,185 |
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Description |
Funds will provide emergency rental assistance to households who reside in low-income housing in the City's asset portfolio and, due to the coronavirus, are unable to pay their rent. The maximum level of assistance will equal a one-time payment of $1,000 |
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Target Date for Completion |
12/31/2020 |
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Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities |
1100 households with incomes at or below 80% of area median income |
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Location Description |
Citywide |
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Planned Activities |
Office of Housing staff will review and approve applications for assistance from households and issue emergency rent payments to their landlords. |
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CV-COVID-19 2020 - 2023 Catholic Community Services WAH20-F001 (CCS) |
AFH/CPD:Resources for at-risk renters/owners |
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AFH: Displacement due to economic pressure |
Other - HOPWA-CV: $85,268 |
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Description |
Catholic Community Services will provide STRMU assistance to households who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, to ensure they are able to maintain their housing. |
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Target Date for Completion |
12/31/2021 |
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Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities |
13 households that are earning 0%-50% AMI and have a household member who is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. |
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Location Description |
King and Snohomish Counties |
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Planned Activities |
Via a subrecipient agreement with Catholic Community Services, 13 households that are earning 0%-50% AMI and have a household member who is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS will be provided rental assistance to ensure they remain in their housing. |
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CV-COVID-19 2020 - 2023 Lifelong WAH20-F001 (Lifelong) |
AFH/CPD:Resources for at-risk renters/owners |
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AFH: Displacement due to economic pressure |
Other - HOPWA-CV: $341,072 |
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Description |
Lifelong will provide STRMU to households who are impacted by the COVID-19 crisis to ensure they maintain their housing. |
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Target Date for Completion |
12/31/2021 |
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Estimate the number and type of families that will benefit from the proposed activities |
51 households that are earning 0%-50% AMI and have a household member who is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. |
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Location Description |
King and Snohomish Counties |
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Planned Activities |
Via subrecipient agreement with Lifelong, STRMU rental assistance will be provided to 51 households that are earning 0%-50% AMI and have a household member who is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, to ensure they maintain their housing. |
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The Public was invited to attend a virtual public hearing to discuss the proposed 2020 Annual Action Plan and these changes at a Seattle City Council meeting on:
May 4, 2020 at 2:00 pm
at Seattle City Hall
through virtual teleconferencing
Watch the Council hearing on video at http://seattlechannel.org/
You may request an electronic or hard copy of the report by contacting the Federal Grants Manager. Comments can be sent via email or mail to:
Dan Burton
Federal Grants Manager
Seattle Human Services Department
PO Box 34215
Seattle WA 98124-4215
For questions about the Consolidated Plan, please call Debra Rhinehart at (206) 684-0574.