FARMINGTON -- The population growth throughout Davis County is going to put about $355,000 more in Community Development Block Grant money in the county's pocket for 2011 versus 2010.
And there is more of that to come, at least over the next few years.
With a population of 200,000 in the non-entitlement areas of the county, the area outside Layton and Clearfield cities -- both of which are already longtime entitlement cities -- Davis County for the first time will receive "entitlement status," and with it $600,000 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said Scott A. Hess, Davis County CDBG coordinator.
The funds will be used for projects or programs that benefit the county's low- to moderate-income residents.
"All of those $600,000 will go to benefit Davis County residents," Hess said.
In previous years, the county competed for CDBG funding against surrounding counties, Hess said, with Davis County receiving in 2010 about $245,000.
The county having its "own pot of money" and local influence over how the federal money will be spent will be beneficial, Hess said.
The county's entitlement status remains in place from 2011 to 2013 before the county has to requalify, he said.
But the entitlement status is something the county should be able to maintain because the population of the county continues to grow throughout, Hess said.
"Population-wise, I think we are going to be fine," Hess said of the county, which has a total population of 306,479, based on the 2010 Census.
Applications for the funds will be collected from interested parties beginning today, Hess said.
Nine potential applicants have already inquired about the funds, following a Feb. 25 workshop that was held to show interested parties how to apply for the federal funds.
"We'll move forward and rank the applications in April," Hess said.
But the committee that reviews the applications will not make a final decision until June, in hopes of being able to release funds in July.
Potential applicants include Davis Behavioral Health, Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter, Davis Applied Technology College, Family Connection Center, Davis County Housing Authority and Syracuse city.
Syracuse city would like a portion of the CDBG funds to help pay for the development of a 5-acre fully accessible park for the handicapped, Syracuse Mayor Jamie Nagle said.
The park, to be developed at 1900 S. 1800 West, would be the first of its kind in the state, Nagle said.
The cost to develop the park has not been determined, but city officials anticipate that developing such a park will be costly, because it provides a setting that allows wheelchair-bound children to be able to play side-by-side with their able-bodied peers.
Family Connection Center is hoping to receive some of the funds to buy a new van to be used to collect food items for its food bank and to put a new roof on its building in Layton, said Jason Wilde, FCC executive director.
Safe Harbor is also requesting funds to make upgrades to its shelter in Kaysville, said Kay Card, shelter director.
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