City of Goleta Community Development Block Grant

The City of Goleta’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program receives annual federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). While HUD administers the funds at the federal level, the City of Goleta is responsible for their local implementation. The program supports activities that fulfill national CDBG objectives, including benefiting low- and moderate-income individuals, eliminating slums or blight, and addressing urgent community needs during emergencies. To deliver these objectives, the City may contract with eligible organizations and agencies to provide public services and other allowable activities within city limits. CDBG-funded activities are governed by a robust federal regulatory framework, including 24 CFR Part 570 and 2 CFR Part 200, as well as other federal laws and HUD guidance. Subrecipients must comply with requirements related to civil rights, fair housing, environmental review, conflict of interest, labor standards, debarment and suspension, and anti-lobbying regulations. The program enforces a strict compliance structure to ensure funds are used effectively and lawfully. Eligible activities must directly benefit Goleta residents and align with at least one of the national objectives. Examples include housing rehabilitation, public facility improvements, economic development, and public services. However, for a public service to qualify, it must be either a newly established service or a quantifiable expansion of an existing one. This might include serving more clients, extending hours, or adding components beyond the existing program level. Ineligible activities include political campaigns, operating expenses, most equipment purchases, new housing construction (with few exceptions), and general income payments. Subrecipients may include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public agencies, housing authorities, community-based development organizations (CBDOs), and certain for-profit entities conducting authorized economic development activities. Faith-based organizations may apply, but CDBG funds cannot be used for inherently religious activities. Applicants are selected based on established criteria such as past performance, organizational capacity, program knowledge, and alignment with the City's strategic plans. Additional criteria may be applied based on the annual Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). Prior to receiving funds, all subrecipients must enter into a Subrecipient Agreement with the City. This agreement mandates approved use of funds, recordkeeping, financial and performance reporting, and cooperation with monitoring and audits. Recipients may not begin work until the City has completed an environmental review. The City retains the right to suspend or terminate funding for noncompliance and may seek repayment for disallowed or unused funds. For the fiscal year 2026–2027, the City will not accept applications for CDBG public service activities. However, the program is recurring and updated guidelines were adopted on December 16, 2025. These guidelines and eligibility details are accessible via the City’s website. For support or inquiries, applicants may contact Cassidy Le Air of the Neighborhood Services Department by email at [email protected] or by phone at (805) 690-5126. The application portal is hosted on Submittable.

Ensure measurable expansion if applying for public services; maintain strong documentation and compliance systems.