Community Development Digest

West Coast

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Declining Snowpack in the West Exacerbates Drought

Warm temperatures in February contributed to further snowpack decline in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, according to data from the third 2015 forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Snowpack in Nevada, Utah and Idaho also fell further behind normal.

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CA Bill Changes CDBG Small Cities' Distribution

    California lawmakers send Gov. Jerry Brown (D) legislation (AB 232) giving the state more flexibility in making Small Cities CDBG program awards to rural areas. The bill, which unanimously cleared the Assembly (77-0), removes the state's previous mandate requiring CDBG funding to c...

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California Appropriators Extend Small Business Loan Sunset

The sunset of the California Small Business Loan Guarantee Program (SBLG) will extend through the end of 2017 if legislation (AB 2671), which is now under consideration by the state Senate, passes. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted to send the bill to the floor Aug. 16. Votes in the Senate a...

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Oregon State CDBG Grant Applications Due Sept. 30

Oregon nonentitlement communities have through Sept. 30 to apply for third-quarter CDBG grant funds from the state Infrastructure Finance Authority (IFA). Tribes, 10 cities and three counties are the only jurisdictions ineligible to receive funds from IFA, which distributes money quarterly. Economi...

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Cuts Force California County to Reduce CDBG, HOME Work

Marin County, CA is expecting to fund fewer HOME Investment Partnership and CDBG projects due to major funding cuts. The county receives $1.2 million in FY 2012-13 for CDBG -- about half what it received at its peak level -- and HOME will receive $595,000, a 46% reduction from current levels, Roy ...

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Group Moves to Block California Eminent Domain Plan

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) says it will exclude from government-sponsored entities' (GSE) mortgage-backed securities trading all loans originating in jurisdictions using eminent domain to seize and restructure underwater mortgages. SIFMA's decision affects pla...

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CA Cities Consider Lawsuit Over Redevelopment Law

  California cities are considering litigation over a new redevelopment law (AB 1484) that would suspend sales tax payments to cities if their local redevelopment successor agencies fail to make property tax payments to other local taxing agencies. The legislation become effective July 12. AB...

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Groups Oppose Using Eminent Domain to Seize Loans

National financial services groups say a proposal by San Bernardino (CA) County and the cities of Ontario and Fontana to use eminent domain to seize mortgage loans from private investors would harm credit access for potential homebuyers.

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CA Bill to Speed Small Cities Awards

The California Senate is considering legislation (AB 232) that would expedite grant awards in the Small Cities CDBG program serving rural areas.

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Phoenix Asked to Justify Millions in NSP-2 Funds

Phoenix officials are asked to justify or repay $6.1 million in non-federal funding for its Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP-2).

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