Community Engagement

Orange County's Citizen Participation Plan establishes procedures and standards for citizen participation that Orange County must follow to be in compliance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's rule 24 CFR 91.105. All Orange County citizens, in particular low and moderate-income persons and those living in slum and blighted areas, are encouraged to participate in the planning, implementation and assessment of the federally-funded housing and community development programs.

The Citizen Participation Plan was updated on November 28, 2023 to include requirements associated with implementation of the CDBG-DR Program. Additionally, the County's Language Access Plan describes access to information on available programs and activities for individuals with Limited English Proficiency.

An Addendum to the approved Language Access Plan provides additional specifics as they relate to the implementation of federal programs administered by the Orange County Housing and Community Development Division.

The Citizen Participation Survey, which was open from September 25 to November 10, 2023, solicited input from Orange County residents in helping to determine unmet long-term resiliency and critical disaster mitigation needs related to Hurricane Ian. This survey was available in English, Spanish and Creole languages. A summary of the survey results can be found HERE.

Public Hearings Information

Before submission to HUD, a draft of the Action Plan and its Executive Summary will be posted on this website for a required 30-day public comment period, and Orange County will host a Public Hearing where members of the public are invited to provide comments and feedback to be used in finalizing the document.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to review and comment on the draft CDBG-DR Action Plan from Monday, December 11, 2023 to Thursday, January 11, 2024. The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will have a work session on the CDBG-DR Program and associated action planning process on December 12, 2023. The Board will hold a public hearing on the Action Plan on January 9, 2024. Additional information pertaining to the public hearing will be posted below.

Community Participation Tools

In developing its CDBG-DR Action Plan, Orange County solicited input from local jurisdictions, public housing authorities, advocacy groups and community partners, as well as citizens, to help determine the remaining long-term resiliency needs and the most critical disaster mitigation needs.

A total of thirteen (13) community meetings were held in each of the six County commission districts to solicit input from the residents in the affected areas regarding unmet needs related to the disaster, and their priorities and preferences in allocation of CDBG-DR funds. Below are the summaries of the meetings organized by dates and locations.

When and Where