3. Citizen Participation Plan

City of Yuma
Citizen Participation Plan
DRAFT
Neighborhood & Economic Development
One City Plaza Yuma, AZ 85364
928.373.5187
www.YumaAZ.gov

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
Statement of Purpose ........................................................................................................ 1
Public Outreach ................................................................................................................. 1
Public Hearings .................................................................................................................. 2
Public Notices .................................................................................................................... 2
Technical Assistance .......................................................................................................... 3
Comments and Complaints ................................................................................................. 3
Amendments to Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan ................................................... 4
Emergency or Disaster Procedures ...................................................................................... 5
Anti-Displacement Policy .................................................................................................... 6
Access to Records .............................................................................................................. 6
DRAFT

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The purpose of the Citizen Participation Plan is to encourage citizen participation in the development
and implementation of the Consolidated Plan, Action Plans, Performance Reports, and Substantial
Amendments. These documents guide the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds
(including program income and Section 108 funds), HOME funds allocated to the Yuma County HOME
Consortium, and other funding received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD). The plan meets the requirements of 24CFR §91.100 and 24CFR §91.105 and will be made
available in a format accessible to persons with disabilities, upon request.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
In preparing the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan, the City of Yuma (City) will encourage
participation by all residents. The City will particularly seek input from: agencies that provide housing or
social services; low- and moderate-income people, those living in slum and blighted areas, citizens living
in public housing and other assisted housing developments and in areas where CDBG and/or HOME
funds are proposed to be used; by residents of predominantly low- and moderate-income
neighborhoods; minorities; non-English speaking persons; and people with disabilities. The City will
provide information to the Housing Authority of the City of Yuma about consolidated plan activities
related to its developments and surrounding communities. The City will also encourage the participation
of local and regional organizations, including the Continuum of Care, in the process of developing and
implementing the Consolidated Plan.
The City will hold at least two meetings per program year to obtain residents' views. The meetings will
be conducted at two DRAFT different stages of the program year.
The following efforts will be made to encourage participation at public meetings and to solicit public
input:
• Distribution of announcement flyers to non-profit organizations for display.
• Post announcement on the City’s website.
• Email announcement to local nonprofit organizations to share with their clients.
• Publish notices in local English and Spanish newspapers.
• The City will use alternative methods of outreach to encourage involvement and to gather
input (e.g., focus groups and online options).
Residents are encouraged to submit questions and comments regarding the City’s CDBG and the Yuma
County HOME Consortium’s HOME program. Comments may be expressed at public meetings or
submitted by phone, mail or email. See contact information in the Comments and Complaints section.
When a public meeting is held as part of the preparation of the Consolidated Plan or Annual Action Plan,
the City will consider any comments and views expressed and may use this input to modify the proposed
documents as needed. This information does not have to be submitted in writing. Public input is used to
draft a list of projects to be recommended for funding for the upcoming program year.
1

PUBLIC HEARINGS
The City of Yuma will hold a minimum of two public hearings at different stages of the program year to
obtain citizen views and respond to proposals and questions regarding the CDBG and HOME programs.
One of the public hearings will be held during the development of the Consolidated Plan and Annual
Action Plan to discuss housing and community development needs, proposed activities, and program
performance, including priority non-housing community development needs, and to seek input on the
plan. A second public hearing will be held during the public comment period for the draft Consolidated
Plan and Annual Action Plan.
• Public hearings will be held after a minimum of two weeks’ notice is provided to citizens,
with sufficient information published regarding the subject of the hearing to allow for
informed comments.
• In-person public hearings will be held at times and locations convenient to potential and
actual beneficiaries. Accommodation for persons with disabilities will be provided upon
request.
• If in-person meetings are not safe according to federal, state, or local health advisories,
public hearings may be held virtually via Teams or a similar platform that allows
communication between the City presenter and participants.
• The City will publish at least one public notice prior to scheduled public hearings. The notice
will include the date, time, and location of the hearing, information on accessibility for
persons with disabilities, and instructions for accessing the meeting if held virtually. An
DRAFT
interpreter will be available at public hearings to assist Spanish-speaking residents.
PUBLIC NOTICES
During the development of the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan and Plan Amendments, before the
City Council adopts the plans, the City will make available to citizens, public agencies, and other
interested parties, via public notices, the following information:
• Amount of CDBG, HOME or other federal housing and/or community development funds
expected to be available;
• The range of activities which may be undertaken with such funds;
• The estimated amount of funds which will benefit persons of very low- and low-income;
• The proposed activities likely to result in displacement and the City’s plans for minimizing
such displacement;
• The types and level of assistance the City will make available to persons displaced;
• The date, time and location of scheduled public hearing(s), information regarding
accessibility for persons with disabilities, and if necessary, how to access the virtual meeting.
A summary of the proposed Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, Performance Reports and Plan
Amendments will be published in the Yuma Sun, Bajo el Sol and on the City website. Copies of these
plans will be made available for review at City Hall, Housing Authority of the City of Yuma (HACY), Yuma
2

County Main Library, and Yuma County Heritage Library, and electronically on the City of Yuma website.
Each summary will describe the contents and purpose of the identified plan or report and the list of
locations where copies of the proposed plan may be examined. The City will provide a reasonable
number of free copies of the plan to citizens and groups that request it.
The City will provide a period of 30 days to receive comments from citizens, public agencies, and/or
interested parties on the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, and Plan Amendments, and 15 days
for the Performance Report before submission of such documents. If HUD annual funding allocations
have not been released by March 15, the timeline for the draft and subsequent submission to HUD may
be delayed. If a waiver is provided by HUD that allows grantees to reduce the number of days required
for a comment period, the City will reduce the comment period to comply with HUD guidance.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The City will hold HOME and CDBG Applicant Workshops to provide guidance on completing applications
and project proposals. Information will be provided on Consolidated Plan priorities, goals for the specific
year, national objectives, eligible activities, performance measurements, project budget, amount of
funding available for different types of activities, and federal compliance regulations, if funded.
Upon request, the City will provide technical assistance to organizations that represent low-and
moderate-income persons in developing proposals for funding assistance under any of the programs
covered by the Consolidated Plan. The level and type of assistance will be determined by the City.
CDBG ADVISORY BOARD
DRAFT
The City of Yuma will maintain a committee known as the CDBG Advisory Board to assist in the review of
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding requests. The Advisory Board will typically meet
three times per year during the Annual Action Plan cycle, with additional meetings scheduled as needed.
The CDBG Advisory Board will review applications submitted for CDBG funding, hear presentations from
applicants, and provide recommendations to City staff and the City Council regarding proposed funding
allocations. Members of the CDBG Advisory Board will serve two-year terms. The Board will consist of
the following members:
• Two members from the Yuma City Council
• One representative from City of Yuma staff
• Four residents of the City of Yuma
COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS
The City will consider all comments received in writing or orally at public hearings, in preparing the final
Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Plan Amendments, and Performance Reports. A summary of
comments received along with actions taken to address the comment and reasons why some comments
were not acted upon, shall be attached to the final Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans, Plan
Amendments or Performance Reports. Comments can be made by phone, at public meetings, by email,
mail, or in person at the contact information below:
3

PH: (928)373-5187
TTY: (928)373-5149
Email: NeighborhoodServices@YumaAZ.gov
Address: City of Yuma
Neighborhood and Economic Development
One City Plaza
Yuma, AZ 85364
For written citizen complaints received that are related to the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan,
Plan Amendments and Performance Reports, the City will use the following procedure:
• The Administrative Specialist in Neighborhood & Economic Development will receive and log
all complaints.
• The Assistant Director of Neighborhood & Economic Development or designee will be
responsible for reviewing and drafting responses.
• A response will be sent within 15 working days of receipt of a complaint.
• Any appeal to a response must be filed within 10 working days of the issuance of the
response.
• The complainant may appeal to the City Administrator, or designee, who shall have final
authority to resolve the complaint.
DRAFT
• The final determination will be made no earlier than 10 working days, and no later than 30
working days after receipt of the appeal.
AMENDMENTS TO CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND ANNUAL ACTION PLAN
HUD requires an amendment to the City’s Consolidated Plan or Annual Action Plan whenever the City
makes one of the following decisions:
• To make a change in its allocation priorities or a change in the method of distribution of
funds;
• To carry out an activity, using funds from any program covered by the Consolidated Plan
(including program income), not previously described in the Action Plan; or
• To change the purpose, scope, location, or beneficiaries of an activity.
The City further defines a “Substantial Change” to the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan as one
which meets one or more of the following criteria:
• Increases the funding level of a previously approved activity or program by 10% or more of
the annual CDBG or HOME allocation;
• Changes the purpose, scope, location or beneficiaries of an activity to the extent that it
4

could be considered a new activity;
• Changes the types of beneficiaries proposed to be served by the activity;
• Creates a new CDBG or HOME-funded activity that was not previously described in an
Annual Action Plan; and/or
• The change in use of CDBG funds from one eligible activity to another.
Amendments to the Plan that do not meet any of these five (5) threshold criteria shall be deemed non-
substantial and may be processed administratively by the Division and are not subject to the
requirements of the Citizen Participation Plan.
Proposed Substantial Changes will be published in the Yuma Sun in English and the Bajo el Sol in Spanish
and a 30-day public comment period will be provided to the public prior to the change being considered
by City Council. If a waiver is provided by HUD that allows grantees to reduce the number of days
required for a comment period, the City will reduce the comment period to comply with HUD guidance.
As needed, HUD will be notified of the Substantial Amendments in Consolidated Annual Performance
and Evaluation Reports (CAPER) submitted.
EMERGENCY OR DISASTER PROCEDURES
In the event of a local, state, or federally declared disaster or emergency—such as the COVID-19
pandemic or other health-related crises—public places may be closed, in-person participation may not be
feasible, and large gatherings may pose public health risks.
DRAFT
In such cases, it may be necessary to expedite amendments to a Consolidated Plan, Action Plan, or Citizen
Participation Plan. This allows for updated procedures and the rapid allocation or reallocation of funds to
effectively respond to the disaster or emergency. It may also be necessary to amend the Consolidated
Plan or Action Plan before submitting it for approval to HUD, in order to allocate or reallocate funds for
disaster response. Additionally, alternative methods for receiving public input, such as holding remote
public hearings, may be utilized.
In these cases, the following modifications to the citizen participation processes may be made, subject
to any applicable or mandated HUD regulations, requirements, approval, or waivers:
• Public Comment Period - Provide reasonable public notice of the proposed
documents and/or amendment(s) and enable review and comment by the public for
at least 5 days. Conduct a public hearing on the proposed amendment during the
abbreviated or expedited comment period. Draft documents will be provided to the
public on the City’s website.
• Public Hearing - Public hearings and meetings may be conducted virtually via
conference call or live web-streaming with the ability for participants to ask
questions and provide comment in real time. Accommodations for persons with
disabilities and/or with limited English proficiency will be made available to the
greatest extent possible upon request.
5

• Submission Deadline - In the event that HUD waives or updates the submission
deadlines for any HUD-required Consolidated Plan, Action Plan, CAPER, or any other
document or report, the City may opt to follow revised submission deadlines
within HUD guidelines.
• In the event that HUD waives any or all components of the public participation
process, the City may opt to follow revised citizen participation allowances within
HUD guidelines.
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT POLICY
The City will make every effort possible to minimize displacement of persons affected by CDBG or HOME
funded activities. The City will work to ensure that all Consolidated Plan activities are designed to
eliminate (or minimize) the occurrence of displacement. If an involuntary displacement should occur,
the City will provide housing referral assistance and, if required, make relocation payments in
accordance with local, state and federal law.
ACCESS TO RECORDS
The City will provide citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties with reasonable and timely
access to information and records relating to its Consolidated Plan and the jurisdiction's use of program
funds covered by the Consolidated Plan during the preceding five years. The final Consolidated Plan,
Annual Action Plans, and Performance Reports will be available for review to the public on the City’s
website at www.YumaAz.gov, in the City of Yuma Neighborhood & Economic Development office at One
DRAFT
City Plaza, Yuma, Arizona, and at other locations listed in the public notices. The Consolidated Plan will
be in a format accessible to persons with disabilities.
6