Council closes public comment on HUD CAPER; city highlights local CDBG-funded services

The Prescott City Council closed the public comment period Sept. 9 on the city’s HUD-required Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report, or CAPER, for program year 2024 and heard reports from CDBG subrecipients on service outcomes. Michael McGinnis, the city’s CDBG coordinator, summarized the report and said activities during the program year focused on public services and that the CAPER covers performance from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. The public comment period had been available for 15 days and the council closed the hearing by vote, 5–0. Representatives of service providers described how CDBG funding was used. Barry DeKemper, development director for People Care, said that People Care used city CDBG funding to provide escorted nonmedical transportation and other support to older adults and people with disabilities. “95 percent of them are 60 or older,” DeKemper said, and he described rides to medical appointments, grocery shopping, prescription pickup and minor home-safety repairs as typical services. Sherry Heine, administrator with the Prescott Chamber of Commerce Foundation, reported on the Prescott Cares rental-assistance program and a Minor Home Repair program administered by the foundation with HUD/CDBG funds repurposed after the pandemic. Heine said roughly $100,000 remained for rental assistance that could provide up to six months of aid for qualifying residents, and the Minor Home Repair program had about $86,000 available to cover grants up to $5,000 for eligible repairs such as grab bars, ramps and plumbing repairs. McGinnis told council the city had also reallocated earlier CDBG-CV (COVID) funds to support US Vets’ homeless outreach, noting $117,925 passed through to that program for meals and emergency shelter. No CAPER approval vote was required; the council closed the public hearing and staff will submit the CAPER to HUD by Sept. 28, McGinnis said. Council members commended staff and community organizations for measurable outcomes and broader outreach. The city will continue administering these programs and working with the citizen advisory committee and partner nonprofits on distribution and eligibility.