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City opens 30-day public comment for CDBG plan; staff proposes funds for housing repairs, Riverwalk connection and homeless outreach
Summary
Hopewell begins its 30-day public comment for the annual CDBG action plan. Staff proposed using an estimated $245,000 annual allocation plus unspent funds for housing rehabilitation, a Riverwalk land-connection project and a Catholic Charities homeless outreach program using COVID-era CDBG funds.
The Hopewell City Council opened a 30-day public comment period on the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan and heard staff recommendations for spending three separate CDBG funding streams.
Planning staff said Hopewell is an entitlement community that receives HUD CDBG money annually and that the city expects an allocation “around $245,000” for the coming year (amount to be finalized when HUD releases the allocation). The staff presentation noted three distinct pools: the annual allocation, unspent funds going back to 2018 (totaling $258,000), and remaining CDBG–COVID funds of $31,202 that must be spent before potential federal recapture next September.
Staff recommended using approximately 15% of the annual allocation for public services (about $37,000) across four applicants: Hebron, Healthy Families, the James House and Pretty Purposed (a new applicant). For housing rehabilitation, staff proposed $100,000 to Project Homes for five emergency repairs, and $40,000 to Rebuilding Together for two units; the staff presentation showed a remaining annual-allocation balance of about $17,000.
Staff proposed allocating that balance together with the $258,000 in unspent funds toward a land-connection extension at the Riverwalk, which would total roughly $275,000 if both sources are used. The COVID-era CDBG money — $31,202 — was recommended for Catholic Charities’ homeless outreach program. Planning staff emphasized that ordinance changes are not retroactive: existing, permitted uses would not be affected by any new zoning rules.
City staff opened the public comment period and invited written comments, email submissions and in-person remarks during the 30-day window. The council will hold a later public hearing before finalizing the annual action plan. Staff also warned of uncertainty at the federal level about recapture of unspent funds.
