Henry County Names Coordinator for CDBG Funds

Shannan Buckner joins Henry County as the CDBG Coordinator.

Henry County has named Shannan Buckner as the CDBG Coordinator to manage and implement the Community Development Block Grant funds allocated to Henry County through the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The County accepted its 2012 allocation of $850,267 in CDBG funds at its October 15 regular meeting.

Shannan has seven years of experience administering Community Development Block Grant programs for various communities, including Fulton County, the City of Griffin, and the River Valley Regional Commission.  She also possesses a wealth of experience working with other agencies in the writing, coordination and implementation of numerous other grants and programs, including LCI and Community Choices Awards, as well as Opportunity Zone and Enterprise Zone designations.

In June of this year, the Henry County Board of Commissioners approved a five-year Consolidated Plan (CP) and Annual Action Plan (AP) for the CDBG funds, which established how the funds will be allocated.  The FY 2012 – FY2016 CP outlines the County’s housing and community development needs and priorities over the next five years, while the FY2012 AP outlines how the County intends to expend its 2012 allocation of CDBG funds the first year.  These plans identify housing and community development needs and priorities, as well as federal and non-federal resources reasonably expected to be made available to undertake activities identified in the proposed FY 2012-FY2016 CP.  The documents also contain a list of activities to be undertaken during the FY2012 year, including the geographic distribution of activities and programs.  Identified projects benefit low- and moderate-income and other underserved populations, as well as community development activities directed toward revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development, and improving community facilities and services. 

Notable projects include revitalizing homes in low to moderate income areas of the County; constructing an elevator for Locust Grove City Hall that will enable handicap accessibility in the building for the first time; equipment repairs and other support that will enable food pantries and other groups to better assist low to moderate income families; renovations to classrooms for Communities in Schools to launch an early childhood education program, Bright From the Start, in Hampton, McDonough and Stockbridge (the program is already operating in Locust Grove); and the expansion of the existing after school program, ArtReach 180, to a second location right away.  To review the complete list of projects outlined in the FY 2012 – FY2016 Consolidated Plan and the FY2012 Annual Action Plan, please visit www.hcpz.org.

Shannan will be responsible for preparing and updating Henry County’s five-year Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plans, conducting a public assessment of needs and priorities, holding public hearings and coordinating the public input process, and ensuring overall compliance with the management and implementation of the CDBG program for the County.

One of her first priorities will be to roll out an application process requesting proposals for subsequent years of the CDBG program.

“I am excited to have someone with Shannan’s experience and expertise who can hit the ground running,” said Michael Harris, Planning & Development Services Division Director.  “Given our abbreviated schedule for this year, her knowledge of HUD regulations will be critical in helping us meet our timeline requirements.”

This is the first year Henry County has been eligible for Community Development Block Grant funds, for which Henry County became eligible when its population exceeded the 200,000 population threshold according to the 2010 Census.  For more information about the program, please visit http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/communitydevelopment/programs.

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