The Community Development Office improves the quality of life in existing Round Rock neighborhoods by providing services to individuals and families, and reinvesting in neighborhood improvements. Round Rock furthers community development through participation in the Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The CDBG program emphasizes participation and representation of the target population(s). Round Rock has used its annual CDBG grant funds to provide housing programs, infrastructure, parks, entrepreneurial opportunities and public services to assist low and moderate income residents.
Recent Projects
The following are some of the projects that were made possible through the CDBG program in the City of Round Rock:
- Construction of new sidewalks on East Austin Avenue, Greenhill Subdivision, Chisholm Valley Neighborhood
- Purchase of an ADA playground and shade structure for the domestic violence shelter
- Rehabilitation of homes for low to moderate income residents
- Funding for the CASA, Round Rock Area Serving Center, Meals on Wheels, and the Sacred Heart Community Clinic so they may provide much needed public services to the community.
About Community Development
The primary functions of the Community Development Office are to:
- Research the nature and extend of local social and reinvestment needs through public hearings and surveys, as well as more objective measures;
- Develop priorities and strategies to address these needs in consultation with City departments and local public and private service organizations;
- Apply for CDBG program funds and distribute them to the public and private organizations that can best meet the identified needs;
- Provide technical assistance, financial and program analysis to these organizations and other project sponsors; the office is also responsible for monitoring all project activities to ensure compliance with HUD regulatory and policy requirements.
In accordance with HUD regulations, all activities supported with CDBG resources must directly benefit low and moderate income persons or eliminate slum and blight. Although these programs directly benefit individuals and families, the entire community benefits through the CDBG program’s investment in the health, safety and stability of its neighborhoods.
Contact Us
Office of Community Development
221 E. Main Street, Round Rock TX 78664
Phone: 512-341-3328
Fax: 512-671-2808
Funding
For the 2020-2021 Program Year (October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021) the Community Development Office received $675,000 of CDBG funds. Some of the projects, programs and activities that have received Round Rock CDBG funds over the years include:
- Funding for income-eligible homeowners to repair structural or safety problems (Home Repair Program)
- Improve safety by constructing sidewalks in some older neighborhoods that lacked them
- Recreation and playground facilities in several neighborhood parks and public housing facilities
- Building improvements at the WBCO Head Start building and Williamson County Crisis Center.
- Street improvements new in the Greenhill neighborhood.
- Food pantry programs
- Purchase of affordable lots for new Habitat for Humanity homes
- Mortgage assistance
Community Development Programs
A large portion of CDBG funds are distributed to other nonprofit social service organizations in order to further the program’s goals. Allocations to recipients must be consistent with the community priorities outlined in the Five-Year Consolidated Plan. Applications are made available on this site each year before they are due in the spring, and proposed allocations are subject to a 30-day comment period in early summer.
The City of Round Rock’s Minor Home Repairs program aims to make health and safety related repairs to owner-occupied homes. Priority will be given to very-low income applicant and income eligible elderly or disabled occupants.
Each year (usually in February and March) the Community Development Office conducts public hearings to find out what Round Rock residents perceive as the most pressing human service needs in their community. If funding permits, a Community Needs Assessment Survey is administered at the same time through the City website. This assessment is considered and applied to the decision-making process to develop programs and activities for the annual Action Plans (see below) and create funding strategies in the 5-year Consolidated Plan.
The Consolidated Plan (or ConPlan) is a five-year strategic planning document that also serves as the City’s application for CDBG funds from HUD. The ConPlan states the City’s priorities and goals for community development, which are developed with public input from the Community Needs Assessment. The City Council adopts the ConPlan by resolution every five years. HUD then allocates funding on a formula basis set by Congress, which is distributes annually to grantees.
Action Plans are components of the Five-Year Consolidated Plan that are submitted to HUD each August, and that also serve as the community’s annual application for CDBG funding. The Action Plan details the proposed community development programs and activities for the year, and explain how they address the priorities and goals expressed in the Five-Year Consolidated Plan. The annual Community Needs Assessment also has a significant role in shaping the annual Action Plans.
The Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) is an evaluation of the City’s progress toward the goals of the ConPlan over the past year. The CAPER serves as a performance report to HUD, accounting for the CDBG funds the City has received.
The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, or AI, is a planning process for local governments and public housing agencies (PHAs) to take meaningful actions to overcome historic patterns of segregation, promote fair housing choice, and foster inclusive communities that are free from discrimination.
• Executive Summary
The Citizen Participation Plan (CPP) is a document that prescribes the public input process related to required federal reports for the City of Round Rock’s Office of Community Development CDBG program, such as the Annual Action Plan and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding. Â
Helpful Links
- To determine if a project or an activity is eligible to be assisted with CDBG funds the interested parties should visit here.
- To learn about CDBG laws and regulations, visit here.
- For information about Community Planning and Development (CPD) Notices, visit here.
- To learn more about your Fair Housing Rights or if you have questions on Tenant Rights, visit here.
- For information on affordable housing or see the Guide to Affordable Housing in the Greater Austin Area, visit here.
- For information on affordable housing resources for renters, visit here.
Mortgage Assistance
HUD provides support to a nationwide network of Housing Counseling Agencies (HCA) and counselors. HCAs are trained and approved by HUD to provide tools to current and prospective homeowners, renters so that they can make responsible choices to address their housing needs in light of their financial situations. Learn more
