The Portland Housing Bureau is readying to ask for a cash infusion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to bolster the city's affordable housing safety. According to the City of Portland, the city plans on February 4 to request the release of Community Development Block Grant funds to support an initiative aimed directly at strengthening security within affordable housing.
With a pot of $150,000 available for each qualifying agency, the Safety and Security Grant Program is designed to provide emergency support for housing threatened by crime and drug activity. Trapped within capital fund budgets that are often stretched thin, these affordable housing agencies could use the funds to cover the cost of safety and security upgrades that would otherwise fall by the wayside. Things like up-to-date security systems, improved lighting, and crime prevention training for staff are on the docket.
Agency applications, due to be weighed against project need and cost, among other criteria, could span multiple projects. While emergency items need to align with the Uniform Physical Condition Standards and local code, this program has an eye on meeting the immediate urgency posed by crime-related dangers. It narrowly concentrates on essentials, from deadbolt locks to training that could potentially defuse volatile situations.
Noteworthy is the tiered review this program has undergone, ensuring environmental concerns don't go unnoticed. After pressing through a 'Tier 1 Broad Review,' which ticked boxes from airport hazards to endangered species protection, the program now moves toward addressing site-specific concerns under 'Tier 2 Site Specific Review.' But as explained on the Housing Bureau's website, should these projects balloon in impact, the agency commits to conducting a full Environmental Assessment.
The public eye can scrutinize the full text of the Environmental Review Record for this project Tuesdays through Thursdays at the Portland Housing Bureau, signaling the openness encouraged by the Bureau before the final approval by HUD. For those armed with thoughts and keyboards, the Bureau has made the call for comments by 4:00 pm on February 3. Emails can be directed to [email protected], even though the official date for HUD's receipt of the funds request is February 4.
