The Pocatello City Council held a public needs hearing Oct. 19 to gather input for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program year 2026 annual action plan and to receive an update on the Idaho CDBG (ICDBG) Pocatello Parks for Resiliency project.

Christine Howe, grants manager for the Planning and Development Services Department, said the ICDBG parks project includes construction of ADA‑compliant restroom facilities and park improvements intended to serve low‑and moderate‑income neighborhoods. Work under way includes two single‑stall ADA restrooms at Optimus/Entideman Park, one single‑stall restroom at Lower Ross Park (next to the Pleasure Land Playground), and a vault toilet for the Upper City Creek Trailhead. The two park restrooms broke ground Oct. 7 and are expected to be complete in mid to late November; the Upper City Creek vault toilet will be set later in the month. The projects are funded by ICDBG at about $360,000.

Howe outlined the CDBG program‑year window (April 1, 2026–March 31, 2027), and said staff are estimating an entitlement amount of roughly $367,000 for planning purposes. She said the city received statements of intent from 11 local nonprofit agencies for housing, public services and facility activities; initial requests total more than $575,000, and if federal funding remains flat not all requests will be accommodated. The CDBG Advisory Committee will score applications in November and bring funding recommendations to the council in January.

Several nonprofit representatives spoke in support of applying for CDBG funds and described local needs. Speakers included:
- Bridal Casabianca, representing the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Idaho, described after‑school and summer programming serving about 107 children and families and noted program costs and low fees for participants.
- Mariah Makowski of The Salvation Army requested support for a winter day shelter and said The Salvation Army had been self‑funding the program and would like to serve more people and expand hours and days of operation.
- Julie Nebrick, representing Housing Authority and Community Partnerships (HACP), said HACP seeks approximately $15,000 to install cameras and surveillance equipment at three low‑income housing properties to deter crime; she said HACP would match at least 10% of the cost.
- Terry Frederickson, on behalf of New Day Products and Resources, described services for people with disabilities and requested CDBG support for services not reimbursed by other programs.
- Amy Azizi of Pocatello Free Clinic requested funds to support the clinic’s dental program, noting rising demand and a waitlist of more than 300 people.

Council members asked questions about warming-shelter capacity for overnight sheltering during winter; representatives said no group had an established overnight warming shelter in place for this season but that multiple agencies (including Salvation Army and Valley Mission) meet to coordinate and pursue options. Staff reported two written comments were provided to council for inclusion in the plan; all public comments will be collected and included in the draft annual action plan.

No action was taken at the hearing; council will consider CDBG funding recommendations after the advisory committee’s review and recommendation in January.