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Committee reallocates $250,000 in prior CDBG funds to community center predevelopment and demolition; authorizes county administrator to execute demolition bid
Summary
The committee approved substantial amendments to 2021'2023 action plans to reallocate $250,000 in prior Community Development Block Grant funds: $50,000 for predevelopment of the Jim Christopher Community Center at the Grand Village, and $200,000 for demolition of five burned townhomes in Saint Andrews Woods. The committee also added authorization for the county administrator to execute a demolition vendor contract not to exceed $300,000 to meet HUD timeliness requirements.
On April 28 the Richland County Administrative Finance Committee approved a substantial amendment reallocating $250,000 in prior-year Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) economic development funds to "shovel-ready" projects intended to meet HUD timeliness requirements.
Miss Richardson of the Community Development Office told the committee the funds originated in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 annual action plans but were not expended because staff turnover and limited capacity delayed project execution. "We are asking to reallocate these funds so that we can move them to shovel ready projects that'll spin down by the July," Richardson said, and warned that failure to meet the HUD timeliness test could reduce future CDBG awards.
The approved reallocation directs $50,000 to predevelopment costs for the Jim Christopher Community Center at the Grand Village (an affordable-housing development on the former Grand Motel site on Two Notch Road) and $200,000 for demolition of five burned townhomes in Saint Andrews Woods (the Woodcourt demolition project). Richardson said the community center project has raised substantial private and state funds and that the county contribution would help close a roughly $270,000 identified gap for a roughly $1 million center; the demolition funds are intended to address public-health and blight concerns and were described as shovel-ready.
As part of the motion the committee authorized adding language to allow the county administrator to execute the contract award for the selected demolition vendor "not to exceed $300,000" in order to ensure timeliness and flexibility during procurement. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members present voting yes.
What happens next: Staff will continue procurement for the demolition solicitation and pursue required draws to satisfy HUD timeliness tests; the Community Development Office will monitor both projects and work with procurement, inspections, legal and risk-management staff as needed.
