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The City of Port Arthur is seeking input from residents on such things as housing and community development needs, which will go into a Consolidated Strategic Plan.

The plan will then be submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Mary Essex, grants program administrator for the City of Port Arthur, explained that every five years the city has to send a Consolidated Strategic Plan to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“It has to start with citizen involvement,’ Essex said.

The survey asks for input on public service, economic development, transportation housing and affordability and even asks about infrastructure, such as roads and streets.

The input from the survey/Consolidated Strategic Plan in the past helped with housing projects and infrastructure following hurricanes.

According to hud.gov, the “Consolidated Plan is designed to help states and local jurisdictions to assess their affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions and to make data-drive, place-based investment decisions.”

There are a number of block grant programs associated with the plan, such as Community Development Block Grant program, HOME Investment Partnerships, Housing Trust Fund program and Emergency Solutions Grant program.

The survey

“Everyone Thrives In a Vibrant Community-Survey can be accessed on the city’s website at portarthurtx.gov

The survey deadline is 5 p.m. April 16.