CDA Updates: job openings, funding cycles, home repair program, more

CDA Builds Capacity: Career Opportunities & Requests for Proposals

The Community Development Administration (CDA) serves as a clearinghouse for federal funds and is charged with deploying and leveraging $178,200,000 in ARPA funds to drive economic justice by supporting a wide range of public and private entities working to provide public services to low to moderate income city residents, build affordable housing, combat blight, and conduct various other community development activities. With a commitment to impact, accountability, and compliance with federal regulations, CDA is seeking to fill a dozen open positions.

Interested individuals can learn more about these opportunities and submit applications by visiting www.stlouis-mo.gov/jobs. The following positions are open for applications:

• Architectural Manager
• Community Development Specialists (2 positions)
• Grants Administrator (4 positions)
• Grants Manager
• Senior Housing Development Analyst
• Program Manager II (2 positions)
• Accountants (3 positions)

Please note that the four grants administrator positions, the grants manager position, and one of the Program Manager II positions are term-limited through 2026.

Additionally, in order to build administrative capacity, CDA is seeking to engage a team with experience providing federal grants management support to state and local jurisdictions to produce a State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Policies and Procedures Manual. Bids for this RFP are due this Friday, July 14. Click here to learn Learn more.

CDA also anticipates issuing RFPs seeking: i) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System Services; ii) Five Year Consolidated Plan Drafting Services; iii) Market Value Analysis Services; and iv) CDBG Disaster Recovery Administrative Services in the coming month, subject to scheduling of a city professional services selection committee. 

Funding Cycle Updates: Neighborhood Transformation Grants; Housing Production NOFA; 2024 CDBG Funding Cycle

CDA staff are reviewing the overwhelming community response to Neighborhood Transformation Grants. With over 223 projects proposed by a wide variety of organizations and teams, totaling $214,135,260 in funding requests, CDA staff are currently reviewing applications for eligibility and completeness and rating proposals. $20.25 million in ARPA funds are available and CDA anticipates announcing its first round of awards in August.

In addition, the 2023 Housing Production NOFA received $51,012,239 in applications of up to $20 million available. Awards will also be announced in August.

However, the HOME-ARP portion of the Housing Production NOFA received fewer responses than funds available and will be reissued in August. HOME-ARP funds serve people who are homeless or are at-risk of being homeless. Interested permanent supportive housing developers and supportive service providers should contact CDA and can learn more about eligible uses here.

Table of Neighborhood Transformation Grants and 2023 Housing Production NOFA uses, requests and available funds 

Funding Cycle	Eligible Use	Available Funds	Proposals	Requested Funds
Neighborhood  Transformation Grants NOFA	Affordable Housing	$6,750,000	38	$81,990,373
	Community Assests	$4,000,000	71	$82,846,091
	Home Repair	$5,000,000	11	$10,6111,619
	Neighborhood Beautification & Capacity Building	$4,500,000	101	$38,687,177
Housing Production NOFA	CDBG/HOME Affordable Housing	$10,436,351	44	$47,568,888
	HOME-ARP Permanent Supportive Housing	$9,669,557	6	$1,773,851
	ARPA Down Payment Assistance	$500,000	12	$1,669,500
TOTAL		$40,854,908	283	$265,147,499

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program supports community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities by funding public services, economic development, community assets, and more. CDA has more than $5 million in 2024 CDBG funds available for competitive proposals and the annual funding cycle will begin in August. Click here to see the 2024 CDBG Funding Cycle Timeline.

Early Childhood Education Investments Update

The City of St. Louis’ ARPA Community Needs Survey identified expanding access to early childcare as a critical priority for city residents. During the pandemic, many childcare providers faced closure due to financial hardship, leading to a critical lack of childcare access for families.

In 2022, CDA partnered with the St. Louis Mental Health Board to deploy a total of $1,679,272 in ARPA funds to 56 early childcare providers through emergency relief grants. 

Today, the most significant constraint to expanding access to childcare is attracting, developing, and retaining qualified early childhood teachers. Childcare is immensely valuable, yielding significant returns in the form of improved high school graduation rates, increased employment and wages, reduced crime, and better health outcomes - and systemically undercompensated. 

Today, CDA is proud to announce strategic investments into the early childcare workforce with a total of $1.8 million in ARPA funds awarded to six early childcare providers and professional development organizations. The grants will expand teacher’s access to scholarships, salary supplements, and accreditation supports and are being awarded as follows:

• Childcare Aware: $570,000
• United 4 Children: $360,000
• Beginning Futures: $350,000
• Guardian Angel: $200,000
• Elmer Hammond: $160,000
• Flance Early Learning Center: $160,000

Healthy Home Repair Update

CDA has made significant progress towards expanding the Healthy Home Repair Program, which focuses on helping residents - especially seniors - stay in their homes, maintain safe living conditions, prevent vacancy, and preserve the city's affordable housing stock.

In just the first six months of 2023, the program has made repairs to 205 homes, spending a total of $1,983,451 in federal funds. For context, over the course of all of 2022, the program repaired 201 homes, spending a total of $2,023,076 in federal funds. CDA anticipates making repairs on more than 300 homes in 2023 - a major increase over previous years.

This significant uptick in completed repairs has been driven largely by the infusion of ARPA funds into the traditionally HUD-funded program, with $1,195,614 in ARPA funds spent this year to date. Additionally, a robust contractor recruitment campaign in partnership with SLDC and Mission St. Louis plus efforts to simplify and accelerate application processes for homeowners and payment processes for contractors have been critical factors behind the program’s expanded capacity to deploy funds at the velocity necessary to meet demand and reduce the program’s waitlist. 

CDA offers competitive compensation for projects. Contractors interested in projects should apply at www.missionstl.org/hhrp. Homeowners seeking repairs can click here to learn more.

Additionally, CDA allocates funds to support Harambee's tuck-pointing program, Habitat for Humanity's energy efficiency program, and Mission St. Louis' minor home repair program. Collectively, these programs aim to keep residents in their homes and prevent properties from becoming vacant. 

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About Community Development Administration (CDA): The Community Development Administration (CDA) serves as the City of St. Louis’ clearinghouse for federal, state, and local funds. CDA works to implement the Mayor's economic justice agenda by funding a wide range of public and nonprofit entities to provide public services, build affordable housing, combat blight, and conduct various other community development activities.