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Housing & Community Development
Special Announcement: CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH
PROPOSED SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE
CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND THE
2008-2009 ONE YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009
AND ACTION PLAN full details 
Mission
The mission of the Department of Economic and Community Development of the City of West Palm Beach is to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods by employing Departmental resources and capabilities to create capital investment, job opportunities and quality housing for individuals and families. The Department recognizes that social and community strength grows through sustaining economic strength.
Summary of Services
The Community Development Division assists with the production of affordable and market rate housing throughout the City. The Division fosters home ownership, and facilitates the provision of housing for special-needs groups. It administers federal and state entitlement grant programs in compliance with applicable federal regulations, including technical assistance, program reporting, audit review and on-site monitoring of grant program sub-recipients. In addition, Community Development Division administers the City's federal and state entitlement grant programs, including the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and State Housing Initiatives partnership (SHIP) programs. As the largest municipality in the Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area (EMSA), the City of West Palm Beach has administrative authority over grant allocations for all jurisdictions in Palm Beach County under the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program, which is overseen by the Division. When available, the Division administers competitive grants related to housing and community development. The Division is further responsible for the oversight of Section 108 Loan funds received by the City.
The Economic Development Division strives to retain, nurture and attract businesses of all sizes, and to serve their needs. The City's resources are leveraged through collective efforts and strategic partnerships with public and private sector providers of capital resources and technical assistance.
Primary services provided by the Community Development Division include housing rehabilitations, first-time homebuyer assistance, and the following public service and public improvement activities:
utilizing funds to finance necessary repairs to single-family houses owned and occupied by income eligible households; providing funds to income eligible households for down payment and closing cost assistance for the purchase of a house, thereby making such housing affordable; funding non-profit sub-recipient organizations to provide housing counseling, financial counseling, economic development technical assistance, and other related public services; reserving funds for investment in affordable housing to be developed, sponsored or owned by locally certified Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs); utilizing Section 108 Loan funds for eligible community and economic development projects which serve lower income residents of the jurisdiction; providing HOPWA funds to eight agencies for special needs housing and supportive services for residents of Palm Beach County who are affected by HIV+/AIDS; and providing technical assistance to encourage development of market rate housing in the downtown area and other neighborhoods of the jurisdiction.
The Department of Economic and Community Development believes the City can continue to advance by embracing and benefiting from the diversity of our neighborhoods. This diversity must be reflected in the City's economy, and in the housing and amenities offered to our citizens. By taking advantage of the richness of our varied populations, expanded economic opportunities will reinforce past initiatives and encourage new developments that make West Palm Beach a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, raise a family, shop, study, play, and grow old.
City of West Palm Beach Housing and Community Development
401 Clematis Street, 3rd Floor, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 3366 West Palm Beach, Florida 33402
Phone: (561) 822-1250
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