The Morgantown City Council on Sept. 2, 2025 approved a resolution adopting a substantial amendment to several annual action plans for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, reallocating previously committed funds to a green space and road improvements in Lower Greenmont to maintain compliance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development timeliness rules. "This proposed amendment...realigns some funding away from projects that are unlikely to meet deadlines or other requirements under the program and reallocates them to programs and projects that meet some of the standards and objectives of the program," the city manager said during the meeting.

The amendment moves money away from a previously proposed pocket park at the corner of White Avenue and Hitchens Street after staff found the parcel is no longer eligible under current U.S. Census block group boundaries, and shifts some funding that had been tied up by delays on demolition and work at the Bartlett House. "There were two activities that had prior allocations that were either slow to implement or were not eligible," the city manager said. The resolution does not increase Morgantown's total CDBG entitlement; it reallocates existing funds to avoid having the city's entitlement frozen by HUD for untimely draws.

Residents who spoke during the public portion urged council to keep CDBG money in Greenmont and to prioritize a park for Lower Pennsylvania Avenue. "That would allow a green space for the children in my neighborhood... They could have a nice, safer space out of the street to play," neighborhood resident Hillary Woodrum said. Another resident, MJ Ahmad, described chronic problems on Pennsylvania Avenue and urged allocating more resources there. Small-business owner Sherry Monizam and resident Stephanie Hunt also spoke in support of investing CDBG funds in Lower Greenmont.

City staff said the proposed Lower Greenmont improvements were already part of the 2025 annual plan and that some roadwork tied to the green space would be eligible under program rules. A public notice for the substantial amendment was published July 30 and the proposal was on public display in city offices, the library and online; a public hearing was held Aug. 19, staff said. The council voted 7-0 to adopt the amendment.

City staff and the land reuse agency will continue property acquisition, design and contracting work connected to the revised CDBG annual action plans, and will report further details on implementation and timelines as they proceed.