Meeting Type: BCC Regular Meeting
Meeting Date: 1/6/2026
Item Status: New
From: Tara Hazelbaker, Director of Finance; Brian Underwood, Grants Director
Submitted by: Katrina Taylor, Grants Administrator
______________________________________________________________________
ITEM TITLE
Title
Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP): Activity Profile Form Submission for Grant DR-21-001
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STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Take the following actions:
1) Approve the submittal of the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP) Activity Profile Form, by staff to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) CDBG-DR grant portal; and
2) Authorize the Chairman to sign any documents related to this Activity Profile Form.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Background: On February 18, 2025, the Baldwin County Commission received formal approval from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) for its Local Recovery Plan (LRP) under the HUD CDBG-DR program. This approval authorized Baldwin County to proceed with implementation of recovery activities addressing unmet housing, infrastructure, economic development, and mitigation needs resulting from Hurricanes Sally and Zeta.
On July 1, 2025, the Baldwin County Commission approved Amendment No. 2 to Subrecipient Agreement Number DR-21-001 between Baldwin County and the State of Alabama, administered through the ADECA. This amendment supports continued recovery efforts from Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, addressing unmet housing, infrastructure, economic development, mitigation, and other eligible needs as outlined in Baldwin County’s approved LRP. Amendment No. 2 establishes updated implementation budget allocations, including $100,000.00 for administration, $19,169,010.00 for housing recovery activities, and $24,092,676.00 for non-housing recovery activities, which encompass infrastructure projects under the County Priority Infrastructure Program (CPIP). The amendment also extends the period of performance through October 31, 2028, allowing adequate time for project implementation, compliance, and closeout in accordance with HUD CDBG-DR regulations.
As outlined in Baldwin County’s approved LRP, ADECA allocated $19.2 million to the HAP, which is designed to help low-to-moderate income households purchase a single-family home. Program assistance may be used to cover the applicant’s down payment, reasonable closing costs, and interest rate buy-downs. Eligible homes must be single-family dwellings located outside floodplains or disaster-risk-reduction areas identified by the County or its municipalities as locations impacted by the qualifying disaster and likely to be impacted again.
The County will administer the program and provide direct assistance to eligible households in the form of a loan secured by a lien on the property through a mortgage deed and restrictive covenants for a five-year affordability period. During this period, the household must maintain the home as its primary residence. Requests for assistance will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis for applications that meet all applicable eligibility requirements.
Previous Commission action/date:
August 19, 2025 - Approved the formal administrative closeout of the CDBG-DR Planning Phase; and approved the Budget Director to remove the remaining available balance of $332,989.24 from the CDBG-DR Planning Phase ledger. These funds were not reimbursed and are not eligible for retention or reallocation.
July 1, 2025 - Approved Amendment No. 2 to Subrecipient Agreement Number DR-21-001 between the BCC and the State of Alabama, ADECA, addressing recovery from Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, including unmet housing, infrastructure, economic development, mitigation, and other eligible unmet needs, as described in the BCC’s approved LRP. Amendment No. 2 to Baldwin County’s CDBG-DR Subrecipient Agreement with ADECA establishes the implementation budget allocations of $100,000.00 for Administration, $19,169,010.00 for Housing Recovery Activities, and $24,092,676.00 for Non-Housing Recovery Activities. The amendment also extends the period of performance through October 31, 2028.
May 6, 2025 - Approved the Third Amendment to Contract for Professional Services with MB3 Inc. d/b/a Civix for the Planning Phase of the General Grant and Management, Project Management, and Capacity Building for the CDBG-DR Subaward.
The following clauses were added to Section 6.5 of the agreement and included in Attachment A:
a) Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964
b) Section 109, Housing & Community Development Act of 1974
c) Section 504 Rehabilitation Act of 1973
d) Age Discrimination Act of 1975
e) Equal Employment Opportunity
f) Section 3 Compliance
g) Section 3 Plan
h) Section 402 of the Vietnam Veterans Act
i) Alabama Beason-Hammon Act
j) Conflict of Interest
k) Audits, Records keeping and retention
The term and cost of the contract remain unaffected by this Amendment.
February 18, 2025 - Approved the Second Amendment to the Contract for Professional Services with MB3 Inc. d/b/a Civix in the amount of $50,000.00 for the Planning Phase of the General Grant and Management, Project Management, and Capacity Building for the CDBG-DR Subaward.
November 5, 2024 - Approved the First Amendment to the Contract for Professional Services with MB3 Inc. d/b/a Civix in the amount of $211,345.00 for the Planning Phase of the General Grant and Management, Project Management, and Capacity Building for the CDBG-DR Subaward.
September 17, 2024 - Approved Amendment No. 1 to Subrecipient Agreement Number DR-21-001 between the Baldwin County Commission and ADECA addressing recovery from Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, including unmet housing, infrastructure, economic development, mitigation, and other eligible unmet needs, as described in the BCC’s approved LRP.
September 3, 2024 - Adopted Resolution #2024-155, approving the Baldwin County LRP for DR-4563 and DR-4573.
August 20, 2024 - Adopted Resolution #2024-150, approving the BCC CDBG-DR Language Access Plan for Limited English Proficiency Persons.
August 6, 2024 - The BCC conducted a Public Hearing regarding the adoption of the CDBG-DR CPP. Following the Public Hearing, the BCC adopted Resolution #2024-147 approving the CDBG-DR CPP.
March 5, 2024 - Awarded the Contract to MB3 Inc. d/b/a Civix in the amount of $370,081.00 for the Planning Phase of the General Grant and Management, Project Management, and Capacity Building for the CDBG-DR Subaward and authorize the Chairman to execute the Contract.
December 19, 2023 - Accepted the CDBG-DR sub-award from ADECA in the amount of $1,000,000 for the development of a LRP to identify local unmet needs resulting from Hurricanes Sally and Zeta in 2020 through outreach and coordination with impacted stakeholders; and approved the Subrecipient Agreement No. DR-21-001, with ADECA; and authorized the Chairman to execute the agreement and any related documents.
November 7, 2023 - Approved the RFP for General Grant Coordination and Management, Project Management, and Capacity Building for the CDBG-DR Subaward and authorized the Purchasing Director to advertise the RFP; and authorized the Chairman/Purchasing Division Commissioner for the BCC to approve any necessary addendums or clarifications if required after the RFP is advertised.
November 16, 2022 - Authorized staff to proceed with preparing a RFP document for the development of the CDBG-DR LRP for Baldwin County.
October 4, 2022 - Approved and authorized the Chairman to execute a letter to ADECA providing comments in response to the CDBG-DR Draft Action Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Total cost of recommendation: $19,169,010 in grant revenues
Budget line item(s) to be used: Fund 282 CDBG-DR
If this is not a budgeted expenditure, does the recommendation create a need for funding? N/A
LEGAL IMPACT
Is legal review necessary for this staff recommendation and related documents? No
Reviewed/approved by: N/A
Additional comments: N/A
ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS
Is advertising required for this recommendation? N/A
If the proof of publication affidavit is not attached, list the reason: N/A
FOLLOW UP IMPLEMENTATION
For time-sensitive follow up, select deadline date for follow up: January 6, 2026
Individual(s) responsible for follow up: Administration - Chairman to sign Activity Profile Form and send via email to Katrina.
Action required (list contact persons/addresses if documents are to be mailed or emailed): NOA email:
cc: Tara Hazelbaker, Brian Underwood, Katrina Taylor, Shelby Middleton
Additional instructions/notes: N/A