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Payment Assistance Program to the Housing Rehabilitation Program overseen by the Sarasota Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), Tom Polk, director of the county's Planning and Development Services Office, said during the County Commission's regular meeting on July 9. Barbetta told Don Hadsell, director of the OHCD, "I'm all for rehabilitation, don't get me wrong." However, Barbetta said he felt more of the people who qualify for assistance need the money for down payments. The board vote late this summer is expected to resolve an issue that arose months ago. On April 7, Tim Litchet, director of the city's Neighborhood and Development Services Department, explained to the City Commission that HUD's HOME program is the largest source of federal block grants for state and local governments. It is designed to create affordable housing for low-income fam- ilies. He added that the city receives HOME program funds on behalf of the Sarasota Consortium, which includes the county and the Cities of Sarasota, North Port and Venice. In July 2013, the County Commission approved an amendment to its 2013 fis- cal year Sarasota Action Plan to transfer $600,000 in federal HOME funding from the rehabilitation program to the Down Payment Assistance Program. In February, Hadsell told the board members that none of the money had been distributed because of rule changes originating with HUD. In the past, Hadsell explained, if problems that Don Hadsell addresses the County Commission. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader July 25, 2014 Page 62