(a) The department shall determine and announce in the applicable NOFA the percentage of the total amount of the State Block Grant Program funds set aside for economic development that shall be allocated to make economic development planning and technical assistance grants to eligible small cities or counties for business attraction, retention, and expansion programs for the development of local economic development strategies, predevelopment grant feasibility studies, and downtown revitalization programs. Eligible small cities or counties may contract with public agencies or nonprofit economic development corporations and other eligible subgrantees or for-profit corporations or entities to provide these services. Each applicant shall be required to provide a cash match of up to 25 percent of the total amount requested. A technical assistance grant received under this set-aside is in addition to the city or county ceiling, under Section 50832, or its ability to apply under the economic development or general program set-asides. The department shall determine and announce in the applicable NOFA the maximum per year grant amount. Funds not applied for or allocated under this section may be used for other economic development purposes under Sections 50832 and 50832.1.

(b) The department shall determine and announce in the applicable NOFA the percentage of the total amount of the State Block Grant Program funds not used for economic development that shall be set aside to make technical assistance grants to eligible small cities or counties for purposes including, but not limited to: inventory of housing needing rehabilitation in the district, income surveys of area residents, and any general studies of housing needs in the district. Each applicant shall be required to provide a cash match of up to 25 percent of the total amount requested. A technical assistance grant received under this set-aside is in addition to the city or county ceiling or its ability to apply under the economic development or general program set-asides. Unexpended funds allocated under this section shall revert to the general program, but not to the economic development set-aside. The department shall determine and announce in the applicable NOFA the maximum grant amount per application.

(c) If, under federal law, the economic development planning and technical assistance grants and the general allocation planning and assistance grants are considered to be administrative expenditures, the department may reduce the percentages of the set-asides by up to the amount necessary to remain within the allowable limits for administrative expenditures.

(d) Two or more jurisdictions may pool their funds and make a joint application for the same project.

(e) General administrative activity planning studies shall not be counted against allocations under this section.

(f) The department may issue a NOFA under which the director may determine that any applicant with one or more current Community Development Block Grant agreements signed in 2012 or later, for which the expenditure deadline established in the grant agreement or agreements has not yet passed, is eligible to apply for and receive an award of, funds pursuant to this chapter, without regard to whether the applicant has expended at least 50 percent of Community Development Block Grant Funds awarded in 2012 or thereafter. For any applicant that is so determined, the director shall include in the application file a written confirmation of eligibility and any award of funds. An application made pursuant to the director’s determination under this section may be evaluated solely on the basis of eligibility, need, benefit, or readiness, without regard to any specific rating criteria provided by Section 7078 of the California Code of Regulations or subsequent guidelines adopted pursuant to Section 50826.1. The awarding of funds to an applicant pursuant to the director’s determination under this section does not exempt those funds from consideration under any expenditure requirement under law.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 96, Sec. 10. (SB 106) Effective July 21, 2017.)