Berkeley County is currently in the qualification phase of becoming an entitlement jurisdiction, which means it will receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when all federal requirements are successfully met. An appropriation amount is approved by Congress annually through the federal budget process. The amount of funding the County will receive is determined by a statutory formula which uses measurements of need in the County and the request from Congress to increase or decrease HUD funding.
The CDBG Program is intended to address the need for public facilities, economic development, housing, public service, and other eligible activities in unincorporated areas and within participating municipalities in Berkeley County. All activities funded through this program are designed to support projects that:
• Benefit low- and moderate-income persons • Integrate into long-range community strategies • Leverage further private and public investment • Aid in the prevention or elimination of slum or blight
The program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383, as amended; 42 U.S.C.-530.1 et seq.
CDBG Things to know for applying
Registration for the December workshop will open Nov. 14 at the link HERE.
Berkeley County has qualified as an entitlement jurisdiction, which means it will receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). An appropriation amount is approved by Congress annually through the federal budget process, and the County’s FY23 allocation is $1,284,550.
The CDBG Program is intended to address the needs for public facilities, economic development, housing, public services, and other eligible activities in unincorporated areas and within participating municipalities in Berkeley County. All activities funded through this program are designed to support projects that:
Benefit low- and moderate-income persons
Integrate into long-range community strategies
Leverage further private and public investment
Aid in the prevention or elimination of slum or blight
The program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383, as amended; 42 U.S.C.-530.1 et seq.
For questions related to the CDBG Program, please call (843) 719-4766
LeChele Brown, CDBG Grants Specialist
LeChele Brown, a Berkeley County native, has served as the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Specialist since January 2023. In this role, she works under the direction of the Finance Director and is responsible for the implementation of the County’s CDBG program. Prior to joining the team, she worked at International Paper in Georgetown. LeChele graduated from Macedonia High School and later received her bachelor’s degree at Benedict College. She is married to Wilford Brown Jr., and they share three children: daughter, Dakeera, and sons, DeOndre and Markese. In her free time, LeChele enjoys shopping, traveling, and volunteering with different church, social, and community organizations. She’s also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, President of 29453 Community Neighborhood Watch, serves on the BCSO Advisory Board, and is the founder of 29453 Steppers Jamestown. She lives by the motto “If I can help somebody along my journey then my living is not in vain.”
Participating Municipalities
The six participating cities and towns within Berkeley County, together with the population of the unincorporated areas, allow the County to meet the requirements for participation in HUD’s Urban County Entitlement program.
The Consolidated (Con) Plan is a five-year strategic plan that governs the administration of federal funding appropriated for housing and community development activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. It offers communities the opportunity to shape these housing and community development programs into effective and coordinated neighborhood and community development strategies. Development of the Con Plan involves substantial public outreach to solicit community perceptions and needs, and extensive data gathering and analysis, to recommend funding priorities for the five-year plan cycle.
The Consolidated Plan is carried out through Annual Action Plans, which provide a concise summary of the actions, activities, and the specific federal and non-federal resources that will be used each year to address the priority needs and specific goals identified by the Consolidated Plan. The Annual Action Plan outlines one-year goals and describes the resources available, how those resources are to be utilized, including the projects selected for funding, and the geographic distribution of those resources.
An Analysis of Impediments (AI) is an assessment of a state or a unit of local government’s laws, ordinances, statutes, and administrative policies as well as local conditions that affect the location, availability, and accessibility of housing. The development of this AI is part of the consolidated planning process required for all entitlement communities such as Berkeley County that receive CDBG funds from HUD. This AI includes an analysis of barriers and impediments to fair housing choice, defined as the following:
“Impediments” are any actions, omissions, or decisions taken which have the effect of restricting a person’s housing choice or the availability of housing choice because of race, color, religion, gender, disability, familial status, or national origin. Such a limitation to fair housing choice constitutes housing discrimination.
“Barriers” to housing choice are factors that limit a person’s ability to choose from a variety of housing types and may not constitute “housing discrimination.” Factors may include housing supply and location, physical accessibility of housing, zoning for group homes, source of income, accessibility of financing, and limited English proficiency
Section 3
Please see below how Berkeley County and all its Contractors and Subcontractors will comply with HUD’s Section 3 requirements (24 CFR 75) in implementing CDBG Projects.
