City of El Centro CDBG Commercial Façade Improvement Program (California)

The City of El Centro is seeking applications for its CDBG Commercial Façade Improvement Program to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to commercial property owners to make façade improvements in the Downtown Area of El Centro.

Donor Name: City of El Centro

States: California

City: El Centro

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 03/31/2023

Size of the Grant: $20,000

Details:

The City of El Centro recognizes the importance of a Downtown Area that is vibrant and well maintained. The CDBG Façade Improvement Program was created with the goals of facilitating commercial revitalization, stimulating private investment, preserving and beautifying the commercial corridors, and generating shopping and a pleasant walking environment by improving the visual aesthetics of commercial building facades through the use of the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds.

The program is being paid for utilizing the Federal Government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds.

Funding Information

The maximum grant amount that will be awarded per applicant is $20,000.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant Eligibility Requirements

Property Ownership
- The applicant must be the current owner(s) of the property to be rehabilitated in order to be eligible for Program assistance. Individuals, partnerships, corporations, and other legal entities may apply for assistance. Property owner(s) means any person(s) or legal entity that holds record title to the subject property. The City will verify property ownership and require all persons currently on title to give written consent to all work proposed to be performed on the property prior to initiating such work.
Program Exclusions:
- The properties that contain the following businesses are not eligible to receive Program assistance: residential rental buildings (apartments), unless connected to a mixed use building; home-based businesses; structures not facing the public right-of-way; banks; churches and other religious institutions.
- Properties that are fully vacant are not eligible. The subject property must have at least one commercial business tenant facing the street, within the façade of the building.
- A property owner may only participate in the program once for each property owned. Any property that participated in the City funded “Downtown El Centro Façade Improvement and Beautification Program” is ineligible. However, those on the waiting listing for that program who did not receive funds are eligible to apply.

Property Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Commercial Properties
- To be eligible for the Program assistance, the property to be rehabilitated must meet the following requirements:
  - Be located in the eligible Downtown Area of El Centro, which is within a CDBG income-eligible census tract (see below map)
  - The commercial building must be dilapidated or blighted
  - Qualifying commercial business must be located within the façade of the building
  - Storefront must be visible from Main Street
  - The qualifying, façade facing, commercial business must provide products and/or services for low to moderate income residents in the surrounding area
Program Boundaries
- The Downtown Area boundary lies from 4th Street to 8th Street along Main. For this program, eligible locations include commercial structures located within the boundaries of the Downtown Area, as depicted in Figure II-1 with façades facing Main Street.
Minimum Property Rehabilitation Standards
- All work performed under the provisions of this Program shall meet all applicable standards contained in the City’s adopted zoning ordinance as well as local building and safety codes.
Eligible Property Improvements
- The City has determined that the Program assistance may only be used for exterior painting. Minor stucco repair associated with painting may be included if necessary to allow a proper paint surface.
Design Restrictions
- Only improvements made to the street-facing portion of the building are eligible. Improvements are not eligible if they are simply maintenance of the current façade.