On or about December 20, 2024, the City of Jacksonville, HCDD will submit a request to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) for the approval to use Emergency Rental Assistance (round 2) (ERA2) funds for the following: Fruit of Barren Trees (FOBT) Pipeline, Inc.  Affordable Housing Project. Project activities include constructing single-story duplexes at 1575 W. 7th Street 32209 and 1109 Hart Street 32209, contributing four (4) total units to the area’s housing stock. This project is being supported by federal award number 11101-331509-PDC001CV4 awarded to the City of Jacksonville by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury). The City of Jacksonville, by way of Ordinance 2023-148-E, allocated $4,374,458.34 of ERA2 funds to the Housing and Community Development Division (HCDD) of the Neighborhoods Department. Subsequently, Ordinance 2024-426-E expanded the uses of ERA2 funds to include affordable rental housing purposes. Because Treasury has not issued guidance related to environmental review processes and requirements when using ERA2 funds, HCDD has adopted Treasury’s 2023 Interim Final Rule related to State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). As such, HCDD will follow the processes and requirements described in the 2023 Interim Final Rule.
 
HCDD is requesting approval to allocate $324,458.34 ERA2 funds to FOBT to implement the project activities described above.  Following construction completion, the homes will be considered affordable rental units and leased to persons/households with incomes at or below 80% of the Jacksonville, FL Area Median Income (AMI), as set forth by HUD annually. HCDD has made an Environmental Review Record (ERR) for the project that can be examined at https://cpd.hud.gov/cpd-public/environmental-reviews.
 
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to HCDD. All comments received by December 20, 2024, will be considered by HCDD prior to requesting approval of environmental certification from the Treasury.
 
APPROVAL OF CERTIFICATION
HCDD certifies to Treasury that Travis Jeffrey in his official capacity as the Certifying Officer, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. Treasury’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows HCDD to utilize federal funds and implement the project.
 
OBJECTIONS TO APPROVAL OF CERTIFICATION
Treasury will consider objections to its approval of HCDD’s certification for a period of fifteen days following either the anticipated submission date (cited above) or Treasury’s actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if the objections are on one of the following bases: (a) that the Certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the HCDD; (b) HCDD has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; (c) HCDD has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of the environmental certification by Treasury; (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58) and may be addressed to Treasury by sending an email to SLFRF-EnvCertApproval@Treasury.gov, with the subject line “Objection to SLFRF Title I Project Undertaken by [RECIPIENT NAME].” Potential objectors may contact Treasury directly to verify the actual last day of the objection/comment period.
 
Travis Jeffrey
Certifying Officer & Chief of the Housing & Community Development Division