Entering Data on the Area Benefit Data (Mx03) Screen

This screen must be completed for activities that meet the national objective of benefiting low- and moderate-income persons on an area basis. Area benefit national objectives are LMA, LMAJI, and LMASA. Enter information on this screen at the time an activity is set up in IDIS.

% OF LOW/MOD IN SERVICE AREA: Enter the percentage of low- and moderate-income persons in the service area.

SURVEY OR CENSUS TRACT DETERMINATION? Indicate whether a survey or census data was used to determine the percentage of low- and moderate-income persons residing in the area. As stated in the CDBG regulations at 570.208(a)(1)(vi), "Recipients that believe that the census data does not reflect current relative income levels in an area, or where census boundaries do not coincide sufficiently well with the service area of an activity, may conduct (or have conducted) a current survey of residents of the area to determine the percent of such persons that are low and moderate income. HUD will accept information obtained through such surveys, to be used in lieu of the decennial census data, where it determines that the survey was conducted in such a manner that the results meet standards of statistical reliability that are comparable to that of the decennial census data for areas of similar size." The survey instrument and methodology must be approved by HUD before such a survey is conducted.

CENSUS TRACT: Identify the census tracts contained in the activity's service area. Once a census tract is entered, it can be changed but not deleted. You will need to call the IDIS Technical Assistance Unit (TAU) if a census tract needs to be deleted.

BLOCK GROUPS: If the service area includes an entire census tract, do not list the individual block groups within the census tract. If the service area covers less than the total census tract, you must enter the block groups covered by the service area.