Medford committee reviews FY2026 CDBG action plan, refers plan to full council after grantee presentations

The Medford City Council Committee of the Whole reviewed the draft Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan for program year July 1, 2025, through July 30, 2026, and voted April 16 to refer the plan to the full City Council for final approval after presentations from proposed grantees.

The action plan sets proposed uses for federal CDBG funds Medford receives directly from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and frames how the city will allocate money for public services, administration and projects. City CDBG manager Laurel Siegel told the committee the plan and two related documents — a five‑year consolidated plan and an updated citizen participation plan — will be on the city website for public comment through May 12 and are scheduled for submission to HUD by May 15, pending the federal funding notice.

Laurel Siegel, CDBG manager for the City of Medford, said the figures in the draft are estimates because HUD had not yet announced the entitlement amount for fiscal year 2026. "All the figures that you see in these plans are based on an estimate based on our current year's funding," Siegel said, noting the draft used an estimate based on the current year (about $1,384,000). She said the plan includes mechanisms to adjust allocations if HUD announces a different award.

Siegel summarized how the city may use CDBG funds: up to 20% may cover administrative costs (including CDBG staffing), up to 20% may fund public‑service grants, and the remainder typically supports projects such as infrastructure and housing rehabilitation. She described ongoing and proposed projects in…