County to hold hearings on affordable-housing plan

Snohomish County will hold two public hearings on a plan that proposes spending nearly $5 million in federal grant money to improve affordable housing options.

The Draft 2013 Annual Action Plan is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development before the county can receive funding under three federal programs: the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships, and Emergency Solutions Grant.

The plan, to be used by the Snohomish County Urban County Consortium, includes spending more than $4.8 million for affordable housing and community development.

It includes estimated awards of $2.4 million for affordable housing, $1.2 million for public facility and infrastructure improvements, $600,000 for service programs and $670,000 for grant planning and administration.

Two public hearings, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. April 25, will be held in Everett on the Snohomish County campus, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., first floor of the Robert J. Drewel Building, Public Meeting Room 2.

Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m. April 29.

Send comments by email to Sue Tracy at sue.tracy@snoco.org, or mail to Tracy at the Snohomish County Human Services Department, Fourth Floor, Admin West Building, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 305, Everett, WA 98201-4046.

To read the report online, go to http://bit.ly/14RrvQz.

Paper copies are available at the Everett Public Library and Snohomish County branches of Sno-Isle Libraries, at local city and town halls, and at Snohomish County’s Office of Housing and Community Development, fourth floor of the Robert J. Drewel Building.

Project recommendations follow policies created by the Housing and Community Development Policy Advisory Board.

Cities, towns, nonprofit organizations and public agencies are sponsors of the projects chosen.

To request accommodation or a language interpreter for the hearings, contact Tracy at 425-388-3269, sue.tracy@snoco.org or at 711 for TTY users.