VII-1 City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge Action Plan 2003 VII.

ACTION PLAN 2003 (91.220) October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004 A. Resources (91.220b) 1. Federal Resources a. Home Investments Partnerships Program (HOME) The Home Investment Partnership Act (HOME) is authorized under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (NAHA), Public Law 101-625. HOME is a formula-based allocation program intended to support a wide variety of state and local affordable housing programs. The purpose of the program is to enable grantees to undertake activities and adopt policies aimed at expanding the supply of affordable housing and increasing the number of families who can be served with affordable housing. The City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge (City-Parish) will use the HOME funds that it expects to receive during the next year for funding assistance to individuals and to housing related organizations for the development of affordable housing. The Office of Community Development will consider HOME support for Individual Development Accounts in support of HOPE VI projects, in support of a comprehensive Continuum of Care activity offered by local homeless providers, or in support of local blight elimination efforts. OCD will also consider a Tenant-based Rental Assistance activity under the HOME program in support of a comprehensive Continuum of Care activity or a HOPE VI project. b. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-383)

created the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding program. It is allocated primarily through the entitlement communities, and State and Small Cities programs. The CityParish is defined as an entitlement community. The primary objective of the CDBG program is to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income. All CDBG projects and activities must meet one of three national objectives: 1) principally benefit low-andmoderate income persons, 2) aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or 3) meet other urgent community needs. The City-Parish will use the CDBG funds that it expects to receive for a program primarily of housing assistance and capital improvements to provide decent housing, eliminate slums and blight, and meet urgent community development needs. The OCD will consider CDBG support for Individual Development Accounts in support of HOPE VI projects, in support of a comprehensive Continuum of Care activity offered by local homeless providers, or in support of local blight elimination efforts. c. Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) The Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program is funded under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Funding from the program is established on a formula basis equal to the percentages allocated to that of the CDBG program for states, metropolitan cities,