<div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-847a54de-d6cf-98d6-f0d5-5d64c3620adc"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_aoPRvIv0y8Pe-P2-aG0WgxTNc6LcXA_1x2vWWmTAUrE9o6MN0XBm8xBUjOQpdt6wdilgxE94ONmggbtwT0UP22jNJDyR7RgRWZMQ4pJyal0M0Mi_u61vFALIhY7VA" width="119px;" height="126px;" style="border: none;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">CITY OF COLUMBIA, MISSOURI<span class="" style="white-space:pre">  </span>P.O. BOX 6015 COLUMBIA, MO 65205</span><br>
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<span style="font-size:32px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">For Immediate Release</span></p><br><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right">
<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">CONTACT: Randy Cole</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right">
<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">573.874.6321</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:right">
<a href="mailto:rlcole@gocolumbiamo.com" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">rlcole@gocolumbiamo.com</span></a><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:19px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Public Input Sought on Community Development Needs</span></p><br><span style="font-size:19px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">
<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Columbia, MO) - </span><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Each year the City of Columbia receives federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) due to its population, demographics and available funding. The City estimates it will receive approximately $800,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and $400,000 in HOME funds each of the next 5 years. These funds primarily benefit low to moderate income households, and can be used for these five </span><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">program areas</span><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">: economic development, fair housing, community facilities, neighborhood needs, and affordable housing. Public input is vital in prioritizing the community development needs these funds are intended to finance. Citizens are encouraged to complete the following surveys:</span></p>
<br><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/86H9ZP8" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Community Development General Needs Survey:</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> This survey is designed to collect public opinion regarding how the City should use funding among the five different</span><span style="font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> program areas.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/833M85D" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Affordable Housing Needs Assessment Survey:</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Priorities to be ranked in this survey include rehabilitation of owner-occupied and rental residences, homeownership assistance, rental housing for seniors, accessibility improvements for persons with disabilities, and multiple other housing priority issues.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MSDK2XC" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Community Facilities Needs Assessment Survey:</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Priorities to be ranked in this survey include youth services, homeless shelters, transitional housing, senior services, services for persons with disabilities, employment services, and health services.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GQXD7BR" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Neighborhood Needs Assessment Survey:</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Priorities to be ranked in this survey include trash and debris removal, tree scaping, community gardens, exterior code enforcement of buildings, demoltion of dilapidated buildings, water and sewer improvements, street and sidewalk improvements, railroad crossings, parks and trails improvements, and bus shelters.</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GCLZ2CN" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Economic Development Needs Assessment Survey:</span></a><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Priorities to be ranked in this survey include micro-lending, vocational training, commercial and industrial development or rehabilitation, and business mentoring.</span></p>
</li></ul><br><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Links to the surveys can be found on the City’s website at </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ConsolidatedPlan" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">http://tinyurl.com/ConsolidatedPlan</span></a><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. For more information, please contact Randy Cole at 573.874.6321 or </span><a href="mailto:rlcole@gocolumbiamo.com" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">rlcole@gocolumbiamo.com</span></a><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></p>
<br><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:bold;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">- 30 -</span></p>
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