Lancaster County reviews CDBG priorities and eligibility as staff seeks project ideas

Lancaster County Council heard a public presentation on the county—s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) needs assessment and funding priorities, then discussed which municipal and county projects could be packaged for upcoming state CDBG rounds.

Elizabeth Morgan of the Catawba Regional Council of Governments reviewed Lancaster County—s citizens participation plan, CDBG eligibility rules and the county—s 2024 prioritized needs list. Morgan said CDBG funds are federal HUD grants administered in South Carolina by the Department of Commerce, Division of Grants Administration, and that only local governments (cities, towns and counties) may apply. She explained projects must meet a national objective (for example, principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons) and be an eligible activity such as water/sewer, streetscapes, infrastructure and certain public facilities.

The presentation outlined application timing: a spring request-and-application schedule with application requests due March 21 and complete applications due April 21, and a fall round with requests due Aug. 15 and applications…