CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN - AMENDMENT 1 - MAY 14, 2020 1
CITY OF SALEM, MA
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
Amendment #1 – May 14, 2020
A Citizen Participation Plan sets forth the policies and procedures for citizen participation in the development of
the five-year Consolidated Plan, annual action plans and annual end of year reports. This Amendment to the City
of Salem’s Citizen Participation Plan of July 3, 2019 has been developed to reflect citizens participation
requirements that have been waived or changed by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development , as a
result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) has made available supplemental funding,
flexibilities, and waivers in response to COVID-19. In this regard, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) has allocated the City of Salem with supplemental CDBG funding (CDBG-CV). The
supplemental awards are to prevent, prepare for, or respond to coronavirus. The CARES Act also provides CDBG
grantees with flexibilities in the administration of these funds and funds for FY20 (HUD 2019) and FY21 (HUD
2020).
In this regard, the City of Salem’s Citizen Participation Plan is amended as follows for the administration of
CDBG and/or HOME funds during the COVID-19 federally declared disaster or other federally declared disaster
that may arise. The City of Salem acknowledges that additional supplemental funding, flexibilities and waivers
may be forthcoming from HUD and that the City will implement all such resources deemed appropriate.
ADVERTISEMENT, PUBLIC HEARINGS/MEETINGS AND AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS
This amendment reduces citizen participation requirements (public comment periods) to not less than 5 days.
The City will allow questions by email only in order to facilitate a timely response. Written comment s must
be received via email or postal mail to the DPCD by the date indicated as the close of the comment period as
provided in the Notice.
This amendment allows for public hearings to be held virtually.
This amendment allows for Notices to be provided to the Salem News for publishing:
o at least 48 hours prior to the public hearing; and/or
o at start of the public comment period.
Copies of legal notices will be available on www.salem.com.
This amendment provides that SATV and various non-profit organizations will be provided with information
on the time of the public hearing and/or start of the public comment period.
This amendment provides that the final 5-Year Consolidated Plan may be submitted to HUD (through the
North Shore HOME Consortium) any time following the conclusion of the 5 day comment period.
This amendment provides that all public documents during the federal disaster period shall only be available
for viewing at www.salem.com (Studies & Reports).
CONSOLIDATED PLAN & ACTION AMENDMENTS
It is anticipated that the CDBG-CV funds will be utilized to address urgent basic human services and emergency
needs, which may include housing, economic development, infrastructure/public facilities and/or public services.
Examples of assistance could be emergency homeless prevention/rental assistance, assistance to affected
businesses, improvement of facilities for shelter/health/medical purposes, provision of services for vulnerable
populations (seniors, homeless, etc.), meal/grocery delivery and/or the purchase of personal protection
equipment.
In addition to planned activities that benefit low and moderate income persons, or that aid in the prevention or
elimination of slums or blight, Salem may undertake activities to meet urgent, emergency needs. CDBG, CDBG-
CV and/or HOME funds may be reprogrammed to activities to address those needs, including housing,
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infrastructure, public facilities, assistance to affected businesses, public services or planning, capacity building or
technical assistance. Such changes may include a modification in purpose, scope, location or beneficiaries of
activities.
This amendment clarifies that funding new activities or reprogramming funds for emergency or urgent need
activities will not be considered substantial amendments.
This amendment advises that any allocations that the City of Salem receives from the CARES Act will be an
available resource to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Coronavirus.
This amendment reduces the public comment period for substantial amendments to not less than 5 days, with
Notice provided as noted above.
The 5-day comment period for Amendment #1 began on May 7, 2020, and concluded on May 13, 2020.