Colonias Documents

State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program

OMB Collection 2506-0085.

COLONIAS CONSULTATION

Section 916 of The National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 (the Act).

DESCRIPTION: The following question areas are examples of those made during the annual consultation with representatives of the interests of the residents of colonias. Pursuant to Section 916(a)(2) of the Act, the percentage of CDBG for the colonias set-aside will be UP TO 10 percent, as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development after consultation with representatives of the interests of the residents of colonias.

  

1. Issues and Needs

   1. What are the key issues faced by colonias communities that the CDBG Colonias set-aside funding helps to address?

   2. Are there needs that cannot be addressed with CDBG

      1. Due to the constraints on eligible uses?

      2. Due to the definition of colonias? (Particularly the requirement that the community be in existence prior to 28 Nov 1990.)

      3.  Due to other reasons?

   3. Are non-CDBG resources used to address these issues?  What types of resources are used: USDA, CDBG funds other than the set-aside, or others?

2. Other Public and Private Investments

   1. Does the CDBG Set-Aside help to attract or leverage other money?  If so, what sources?

   2. How do you see the CDBG Set-Aside investments affecting private investment in the colonias where you work?

3. Strengths and Capacities

   1. What strengths and capacities exist in the colonias in which you work to implement projects?

   2. What types of capacity gaps exist?

   3. What types of technical assistance do you provide to residents?  

   4. What are the most common types of requests for technical assistance submitted by colonias residents?  

   5. Are technical assistance activities sufficiently utilized?   

 

4. Data

In your opinion, what data about colonias communities would it be useful to see in the CPD eCon Planning map tool?

5. Local Market Conditions: 

   1. In colonias, to what extent does self-build/incremental housing improvements occur?

   2. Do CDBG investments have a catalytic impact on these as well?

   3. To what extent does investment in Colonias lead to residents to cash-out; thus possibly causing the formation of additional low-cost, under-served settlements?

6. Legal framework (Questions for Governments)

   1. Are water and sewer service a requirement for new housing?

   2. Are alternative water and sewer systems permitted?

   3. Do building codes allow low-cost, self-build options, such as straw-bale or adobe construction?

   4. What enforcement actions exist that are focused on land owners who subdivide land in an illegal or quasi-legal manner?

   5. In cases of unsecure tenure, have actions occurred to grant title, register land, or otherwise embrace culturally customary forms of tenure?