PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE RICHLAND COUNTY WANTS YOUR INPUT NOTICE OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS AND COMMENT PERIOD | FY2026 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR HUD GRANTS | April 5, 2026 - Notice is hereby given that the Community Development Office of Richland County, South Carolina will hold a 30-Day Public Comment Period from Monday, April 6th through Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 with Needs Assessment Public Hearings on the following dates: Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 12:00PM – Richland County Council Chambers (2020 Hampton St.) & virtually Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6:00PM – Richland County Council Chambers (2020 Hampton St.) & virtually This location is accessible to persons with physical disabilities. Both hearings will also stream on the County's youtube.com channel for residents to participate virtually. If special arrangements need to be made to accommodate any resident in order for them to participate in the public hearing, including translation services, please contact the Community Development Office at (803) 576 - 2230 to make those arrangements, or for persons who may have a hearing impediment, please contact 7-1-1 for the TTY/TTD relay. The purpose of this public comment period and public hearings is to gather information for the County's Annual Action Plan for FY 2026, which the County will be submitting to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Funds, HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds, and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Funds. These hearings will be used to obtain the views and comments of individuals and organizations concerning the County's plans to support infrastructure, affordable housing, public services, homeless services, tackle economic distress, and address a wide array of community needs with HUD funds. Funding levels for the 2026 Program Year have not been finalized, but are expected to be in line with 2025 funding levels, including: an entitlement amount of $1,755,955 in CDBG funds, $792,557 in HOME funds, and $151,031 in ESG funds. In order to receive these funds, the County must prepare a one-year Annual Action Plan for the use of Federal funds. At least 70% of the CDBG funds must benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons living in unincorporated Richland County. The County is preparing its CDBG, HOME, and ESG applications and it intends to afford residents, local agencies, and interested parties the opportunity to become involved in the planning and applications process. Anyone interested in being added to the CDBG, HOME, and ESG information distribution list should contact the County's Community Development Office at 803-576-2230 or email CD@richlandcountysc.gov. The following types of activities may be eligible for funding under the CDBG program: acquisition of property; disposition costs; improvements to public facilities (including the removal of architectural barriers); demolition and environmental clean-up; public services serving LMI individuals or other priority groups; relocation payments for persons displaced as a result of a CDBG activity; rehabilitation of houses; code enforcement; slum and blight removal; special economic development activities; special activities undertaken by a community based development organization; home ownership assistance for purchase; planning; environmental reviews; program administration; audit; and other miscellaneous activities. The following types of activities may be eligible for funding under the HOME Program: new construction of affordable housing, rehabilitation of affordable housing, reconstruction of affordable housing, conversion to affordable housing, site improvements related to the development of affordable housing, refinancing of debt on a single-family (one to four family) owner occupied housing that is being rehabilitated with HOME funds and the refinancing will reduce the overall monthly housing cost to make it affordable, acquisition costs, soft costs necessary for the financing, development, rehabilitation or acquisition of housing using HOME funds, CHDO costs, relocation costs for displaced households, administrative and planning costs. ESG funds may be used for five program components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing assistance, data collection, and administrative activities. All interested residents are encouraged to attend a public hearing and will be given the opportunity to present oral or written testimony concerning the needs of Richland County and the use of CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds to address those needs. Written or oral comments must be received by Monday, May 5th and directed to Ms. Callison Richardson, Manager, Grants & Community Development, Richland County Government, Community Development Division, 2020 Hampton St. Suite 3058, Columbia, SC 29202, (803) 576 - 2230 or email at CD@richlandcountysc.gov. Ms. Callison Richardson Division Manager, Community Development and Grants Richland County Government IPL0328441 Apr 5 2026