COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT- DISASTER RECOVERY
The Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program was established under the American Samoa Government (ASG) and administered by the Department of Commerce (DOC) under the Urban Planning & Development (UPD) division. It is fully federally funded by the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). On January 27, 2020, HUD announced an award of $3.8 billion of CDBG-DR funds to assist in the recovery and relief efforts of disasters in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
In October 2021, HUD allocated $23,039,000 of CDBG-DR funds to ASG to address unmet recovery needs from Tropical Cyclone Gita in 2018. HUD requires recipients to provide an Action Plan outlining how the money will be applied to unmet needs following a disaster. On December 4, 2020, DOC submitted an Action Plan proposing the use of these funds. DOC has received partial approval of this Action Plan and plans to submit a Substantial Amendment to seek full approval in June 2022. On September 1, 2022, DOC submitted its 1st Substantial Amendment for HUD review. On October 14, 2022, HUD announced its approval of the Substantial Amendment and released the full award of $23,039,000.00 to address the identified Tualauta Drainage System to address the most impacted areas from Tropical Cyclone Gita and improve its infrastructure needs.
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Funding for the CDBG-DR project has been received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CDBG-DR programs are subject to federal requirements as provided in 24 CFR part 570. HUD has allocated $23 Million in CDBG funds to ASDOC in response to the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, 2019, through the publication of the Federal Registers, Vo. 87, No 100, May 24, 2022. To fulfill the allocation requirements, ASDOC must submit an Annual Action Plan for CDBG-DR activities that identify unmet recovery needs to HUD and promote programs to address those recovery needs.
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American Samoa Department of Commerce has no CDBG-DR or CDBG-MIT-funded contract opportunities at this time.
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The Disaster Recovery Grant Reporting (DRGR) System was developed by HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) for the CDBG Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. The DRGR System is primarily used by grantees to access grant funds and report performance accomplishments for grant-funded activities. The DRGR System is used by HUD staff to review grant-funded activities, prepare reports to Congress and other interested parties, and monitor program compliance.
Below are our quarterly reports for our CDBG-DR and CDBG MIT programs.
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CDBG-DR
Grant: P-19-AS-60-0DD2
Grant Award Amount $23,039,000.00
CDBG-MIT Grant:
Environmental Reviews
An environmental review assesses a proposed reconstruction, repair, elevation, or mitigation project for its potential impact on the area, including wetlands, endangered species, and historic preservation. All projects supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, such as those managed by ASDOC, are required by federal law to have environmental review. The public is invited to examine and comment on proposed projects that are subject to environmental review.
Fair Housing Policy
The Fair Housing Act requires all grantees, partners, VHBP recipients, subrecipients, and/or developers whose capital projects are wholly or partially funded with federal assistance to certify that no person, identified within a protected class, is excluded from participation in, denied the benefit of, or subjected to discrimination in any housing program or activity. The protected classes identified within the Federal Fair Housing Act are race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. The American Samoa Government expand this list to include the protected classes of race, sex (including gender identity or gender expression), sexual orientation, color, religion, marital status, familial status , ancestry, disability, age, and HIV infection.
The Department of Commerce and its contractors and third-party vendors, if such parties are used, shall ensure that no applicant is treated in any way that does not comply with the Federal Fair Housing Act and Community Development Plans and Programs.
AS DOC will be collecting protected class information, for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act in its implementation of the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Program. The investigation into any potential violation, and subsequent enforcement action, shall be coordinated between the CDBG-DR Progam and the Department of Commerce.
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Tualauta Drainage Project
Update: The project is currently in the pre-engineering phase and has not yet initiated an Environmental Review (see Qtr Reports)​
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Public Notices​
Update: See above
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Policies and Procedures
Action Plans and Amendments​-see action plan
CDBG-DR Standard Operating Procedures
Infrastructure Policy and Procedures
Fair Housing Complaint Procedure​​
Davis Bacon and Related Action (DBRA) Policies and Procedures​
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Mitigation helps communities lessen the impact of future disasters by reducing or eliminating the risk of death, injury, property loss or damage, suffering, and hardship. ASDOC pays for mitigation activities through the Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD made $1,470,000 available in CDBG-MIT funds.
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Policies/Procedures are currently being developed.
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Agnes Lamositele, CDBG-DR Project Coordinator
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Melesuati Lualua, Finance Officer
Magdalene Petaia Suisala, Acting Director
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