City of Valdosta

Public Involvement Department

Section 3 Implementation Initiatives Template

This presentation depicts a sample of the program implementation template used to implement the Section 3 program for the City of Valdosta’s CDBG Program.

This presentation describes a Five-Step Process and has been designed to assist with the creation of a Section 3 Program for CDBG Entitlement Communities.

Section 3 Implementation Initiatives Template

Five-Step Process for Section 3 Implementation:

Step 1: Know what Section 3 is & the components of the Section 3.

Step 2: Determine and meet with the partners within your organization that will assist with the Section 3 Implementation Plan.

Step 3: Determine and meet with the partners outside of your organization that will assist with the Section 3 Implementation Plan.

Step 4: Devise a Plan of Action that will be followed to implement your Section 3 Program. and get it adopted by governing authority.

Step 5: Whenever possible, utilize Section 3 Residents and Business Concerns.

STEP 1: Know What Section 3 is and the Components of Section 3.

What is Section 3? Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968

(12 U.S.C 1701u)(as amended), requires that economic opportunities generated by certain HUD financial assistance for housing (including Public and Indian Housing) and community development programs shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be given to low and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing, and to businesses that provide economic opportunities for these persons.

The phrase, “certain HUD financial assistance for housing” refers to those programs in a community that provide housing or community development assistance for housing rehabilitation, housing construction, or other public construction projects.

Examples of Programs that require Section 3 Compliance:

•CDBG – Community Development Block Grant (HUD)

•CDBG-R – Community Development Block Grant –Recovery (HUD)

•CHIP – Community Home Investment Program (DCA)

•EDI – Economic Development Initiative (HUD)

•BEDI – Brownfield Economic Development Initiative

•NSP- Neighborhood Stimulus Program

•HOPWA – Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids

•ESG – Emergency Shelter Grants

•Homeless Assistance

•University Partnership Grants

•Certain Grants Awarded Under HUD Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs)

Section 3 Applicability

In Regards to Public and Indian Housing, THERE IS NO FUNDING THRESHOLD.

Section 3 Applies to:

Development Operation Modernization

Section 3 Applicability

In Regards to Housing and Community Development:

THE THRESHOLD IS: If $200,000 in funding is

received by an organization for; housing and construction, housing rehabilitation and other public construction including lead-based paint abatement and utilities related activities……..

And the Contract(s) are in excess of $100,000 or more for any given project……………

COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 3 IS TRIGGERED!!!!!!!!

Compliance with Section 3 requires that a Section 3 Covered Project must utilize at least

One (1) of Two (2) options:Hire Section 3 Certified Residents

Who are Section 3 Residents?

--Public housing residents including persons with disabilities.

--Low and Very low income persons who live in the area where a HUD assisted project is located.

Compliance with Section 3 requires that a Section 3 Covered Project must utilize at

least One (1) of Two (2) options:

Hire a Section 3 Certified Business Concern

What is a Section 3 Business Concern?

--A Section 3 Business is one that either:

a) Is owned by a Section 3 Resident (51% or more).

b)Employs Section 3 Residents. (At least 30% of full time employees.)

or

c)Subcontracts with businesses that provide opportunities to low and very low income persons. (At least 25% of

award amount.)

OR

Section 3 Implementation Plan

You should know and study your organization’s Section 3 Implementation Plan…..

This Plan should portray to anyone that reads it exactly what your organization plans to do in regards to the implementation of Section 3 within your HUD assisted programs or projects and ensuring Section 3 program compliance. Your Section 3 Plan will most likely be one of the items reviewed during a HUD monitoring visit.

Step 2: Determine and meet with the Partners within your Organization that will assist with

the Section 3 Implementation Plan

Directly Involved Partners(Example for City of Valdosta)

Indirectly Involved Partners(Example for City of Valdosta)

Neighborhood Development (CDBG) Coordinator

Neighborhood Development (CDBG) Secretary

VSEB CoordinatorGrants Administrator

Engineering DepartmentEconomic Development

CoordinatorPurchasing DepartmentUtility DepartmentPublic Works Department

Step 3: Determine and meet with the Partners of your Organization that will assist with the

Section 3 Implementation Plan

The City of Valdosta’s Neighborhood Development Division Coordinates the Section 3 activities for our CDBG funding. Section 3 activities may include:

Educational Opportunities

Job Skills Assessment & Job Training

Economic Opportunity Components for the residents of a covered area.

Step 3: Determine and meet with the Partners of your Organization that will assist with the

Section 3 Implementation Plan

The Neighborhood Development Division entered into an MOU with the Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Work Ready/Work Force Development Program to:

Assist with conducting Section 3 Information Sessions for residents living within the areas which are covered by CDBG funding.

Provide Georgia Work Ready Testing for Section 3 Residents.

Provide GED Preparation classes and Testing for Section 3 Residents.

Provide Career Readiness testing and computer based training for Section 3 Residents

Additional Outside Partners…...

The City of Valdosta has a close working relationship with the Valdosta Housing Authority (VHA).

Assists in:Inform all residents of the Valdosta Housing Authority Housing stock of the Section 3 Information Sessions and the City received a much greater attendance than expected.

Have a facility in which to conduct the Section 3 Information Sessions

Have a facility in which to conduct GED testing and classes and job skills training.

Additional Outside Partners…...

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) has also proven to be a valuable partner in our efforts to implement Section 3 Initiatives in the City of Valdosta. The VLPRA has:

Provided facilities in which we have conducted Section 3 Information Sessions.

Offered the use of facilities to hold GED testing and classes as well as Georgia Work Ready Testing and training.

Possible Future Partners

We are also in the process of tapping into other possible community partners that can strengthen our Section 3 Program, such as:

1)The Department of Labor (DOL)

2)The Valdosta City Alternative/Evening School

3)Valdosta State University’s (VSU) Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

4)VSU SIFE Program

Step 4: Devise a Plan of Action that will be Followed to Implement your Section 3 Program

A Plan of Action must be devised that will depict what steps will be taken to implement Section 3 driven/focused projects and programs within your organization. For example:

The City of Valdosta has a 17 Neighborhood Area that makes up the Designated Revitalization Area or DRA. These 17 neighborhoods are designated as such due to the fact that they are composed of residents that primarily have low-moderate incomes:

Plan of Action The DRA is the area in which the City’s CDBG funds are used. However, trying to handle all residents of all 17 neighborhood at one time was not feasible. So, in order to have a starting point for Section 3 Implementation, the Neighborhood Development Division decided to break the Section 3 Information Sessions up in order of priority** to make the number of participants more manageable for staff:

1st Priority – Area Public Housing Residents (Valdosta Housing Authority) Hudson Docket Homes Ora Lee West Homes Lloyd Greer Homes VHA’s “Scattered Site” Housing Stock

2nd Priority – Residents of the Designated Revitalization Area (DRA) All 17 Neighborhoods that make up the DRA

3rd Priority – Entire City of Valdosta

**The priority of focus is to be delineated in your organization’s Section 3 Implementation Plan.

Section 3 Plan should be adopted by your local governing authority.

Step 5: Whenever Possible, Utilize Section 3 Business Concerns

The process of determining if a business is a Section 3 Business is fairly simple. The City of Valdosta’s Small Emerging Business Program or VSEB assists small businesses within the community with information regarding up-coming projects that these businesses may be eligible to bid. Likewise, VSEB also assists our Section 3 Business Concern candidates in becoming a Section 3 Business Concern.

Step 5: Whenever Possible, Utilize Section 3 Business Concerns

The names of “Certified” Section 3 Business Concerns are copied into a database that is kept current and is available upon request for the following:

Other Section 3 Business Concerns looking for a Section 3 Business Concern to use as a sub-contractor.

Section 3 Business Concerns Searching for Section 3 Residents to hire to work on a project.

Section 3 Residents searching for a Section 3 Business Concern that may hire them to work on a covered project.

*A Database of Section 3 Certified Residents is kept on hand in the Neighborhood Development Division as well.

Promoting Section 3

Reach Out to All Media OutletsGovernment publications,

websites & Access ChannelsMandatory signs on applicable

projectsPromote through local

neighborhood churches and non-profit organizations

Housing and business fairs

Please Keep in Mind…… These Section 3 Implementation Initiatives are an example of what can be

done to implement Section 3 in a Community. Each Entitlement Community’s Section 3 Program should be tailored to fit the local jurisdictional protocol for your community. For detailed HUD guidance regarding the Section 3 Program, please visit the following website:

http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/section3/section3.cfm

Contact InformationFor Section 3 Certification Forms and Info. Contact:

Sabrina Riley-RandolphNeighborhood Development Coordinator/Section 3 Coordinator

The City of Valdosta(229) 671-3617

For Additional Information regarding WorkReady Testing Contact:Penelope Schmidt

Director of Workforce DevelopmentWiregrass Georgia Technical College

(229) 333-2120

For information regarding the Public Involvement Department Contact:Mara Register

Assistant to the City ManagerThe City of Valdosta

(229) 259-3571