Community Services warns federal grant cuts could force county to backfill programs

Mary Keating, director of DuPage County Community Services, briefed the Finance Committee on Aug. 26 about the precarious status of several federal grants that fund housing, energy assistance and senior services.
Lede: Keating said the president’s proposed budget included elimination of some grants that the county relies on and that the Senate and House appropriations show differing outcomes — the Senate proposed level funding for several programs while the House proposed deeper cuts or elimination for others.
Nut graf: The committee heard that possible reductions to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships program and LIHEAP could affect county staff paid by grant dollars and projects that the county is contractually obligated to monitor for 20 years. Keating said cuts to the administrative portion of CDBG (administration capped at 20%) would reduce the county’s ability to operate the program without general-fund backfill.
Program details and risks: Keating summarized the current federal posture: the president’s budget proposed eliminating many grants relevant to Community Services; the Senate appropriations committee had level funding for most but proposed a roughly 12% cut to CDBG; the House’s position varied but included potential elimination for selected programs. Keating said the HOME program’s elimination or steep reduction would imperil both pipeline affordable-housing projects and the county’s long-term monitoring obligations for developments that received HOME funds.
Community impact: Keating noted the ALICE population, LIHEAP demand and older-adult services would be affected if funding is reduced; this year the county received about 11,000 LIHEAP applications for energy assistance. The office also highlighted that ARPA-funded additions (for example, expansion of 2‑1‑1) will need a long-term funding plan after ARPA funds expire in 2027.
Next steps: Keating said the county will watch House and Senate actions when Congress returns in September and anticipates continuing resolutions may be used. She recommended the county identify potential backfill strategies and noted that if grants are cut the county may need to hire or continue staff from general revenue to meet contractual monitoring obligations for previously funded projects.