During a recent city council meeting, Community Programs Manager Rosie Rojo presented the proposed funding priorities for the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) for the fiscal year 2025-2026. The council is being asked to adopt a resolution that accepts the recommendations from the block grants advisory committee, which reviews the city's five-year consolidated plan to address community needs.

Rojo highlighted the outcomes of a community needs workshop held on July 22, where service providers discussed pressing issues such as abuse and trauma victim services, affordable housing, childcare accessibility, rent control, and support for the unhoused. These needs align with the existing CDBG funding priorities, leading to no recommended changes in the language of the priorities.

The council's adoption of these priorities will initiate the Notice of Funding Availability (NoFA), set to be released on August 22, signaling the start of the application process for potential funding applicants. Rojo emphasized the importance of setting aside CDBG capital funding for city-related public facility projects, which primarily benefit low to moderate-income residents. Historically, the city has allocated about half of its CDBG capital funding to nonprofits, but the current recommendation focuses on addressing immediate community needs through city projects.

The council has the option to amend the priorities, but Rojo cautioned that such changes could misalign with the community's expressed needs and delay the funding process. The timeline for capital project proposals is tight, with submissions due by September 12 and a follow-up presentation to the council scheduled for October 1. Rojo concluded her presentation by inviting questions from the council members.