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Notificación de enmienda sustancial del Plan de Acción del Condado de New Castle

La información será proporcionada en español a petición.

NOTICE OF SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE PROGRAM YEAR 2019 and 2020

ANNUAL ACTION PLANS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Notice is hereby given that New Castle County (NCC) is proposing a Substantial Amendment (SA) to its Program Year 2019 & 2020 Annual Action Plans to re-allocate unexpended funds from two projects. Both Program Year 2019 and 2020 have $250,000 in unexpended funds. The PY 19 Covid- Response Subsistence Payments Project was never funded because the Delaware Housing Assistance Program (DEHAP) program could help Delawareans with rental assistance. Additionally, the City of Newark is also reallocating the funds they originally set aside for their In-House Subsistence Payments Project, for the same reason.  New Castle County’s PY 20 Down Payment Settlement Assistance Program ended the year with an unexpended balance. 

As stated in NCC’s 1st Substantial Amendment to PY 19’s Annual Action Plan, the county will continue to be responsive to the needs of the community and its impact on people at risk of and experiencing homelessness.  The county routinely evaluates our funding decisions throughout the period of performance and will include additional activities if/when necessary, based on infection control needs and response efforts related to preventing, preparing, and responding to COVID-19.

The county plans to reprogram the funding listed above to an existing Covid response project that will support activities that will prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus.  The 1st Substantial Amendment to PY 19’s plan included a main objective to quickly move people experiencing homelessness into permanent, safe and stable housing; and to provide quality administration of federal funds. The funds will allow NCC to continue addressing the increased challenges the homeless population face because of the pandemic. 

The $500,000 will be used to support the PY 19 Homeless/AIDS Operations Project.  This project will provide operational support for the 192-room New Castle County Hope Center.  Operational Support under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program includes staff costs, utilities, maintenance, security, insurance etc. necessary to provide safe and temporary shelter to meet the rising number of people experiencing homelessness and transition them into housing. The City of Newark plans to re-allocate the $118,147.18 for the Subsistence Project to the Code Purple & 03 T Homeless/AIDS Project to support services at the New Castle County Hope Center.    

The New Castle County Hope Center (NCCHC) is a low-barrier, housing focused shelter that accepts all persons experiencing homelessness.  They serve single men, women,  and families of any composition.  Additionally, all service animals and pets are accepted. The shelter partners with over 13 agencies to provide intensive case management, housing search, substance abuse and mental health services, health services, rental assistance, social services, employment and training services, pet/animal care, and the “ Rent Readiness Program Assistance”.  People are accepted via a referral system established with Referring Agencies.  The NCCHC has provided temporary shelter to over 2,000 people since opening in December 2020.  Over 300 people have transitioned into permanent housing.  There are currently 251 people at the Hope Center, of which 112 are children.  The NCCHC is owned by New Castle County and managed by Department of Community Services staff.

The public comment period  is from Monday, January 23, 2023 –  Friday, February 24, 2023

This document is located on the County’s website: http://www.nccde.org/1274/Plans-Reports.

Comments should be emailed to Nicole.Waters@newcastlede.gov no later than Monday, February 20, 2023, to be considered.  Persons requiring information in alternative formats should contact Nicole.Waters@newcastlede.gov immediately.

Additional Contact Information:

Nicole Waters, Department of Community Services, 77 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720,

302-395-5644 or 302-388-1040, TDD 302-395-5593, Nicole.Waters@newcastlede.gov