Lorain County holds public hearing on FY25 CDBG and CHIP funding; staff recommends Sheffield Lake sewer and Neighborhood Alliance service funding

At a May 15 public hearing of the Lorain County Board of Commissioners, county staff reviewed FY25 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation requests, Critical Infrastructure grant applications and the upcoming CHIP (Community Housing Impact and Preservation) application process, and said staff will publish recommendations and return for a subsequent public hearing.

Garvin, a county staff member who presented the funding overview, said, "ODUD is awarding Lorain County 6 Hundred And 40 8 Thousand Dollars for our allocation grant, CDBG allocation." He told commissioners the department would recommend funding a Sheffield Lake sewer-line improvement project and expects North Ridgeville to receive its state-dedicated allocation.

The presentation matters because CDBG and CHIP dollars pay for both infrastructure and limited public services across the county; decisions will affect sewer and water projects, street paving, playground and senior-meal services in several communities.

County staff listed five requests for the $648,000 allocation: the city of Oberlin requested $150,000 for a splash pad at Park Street Park (total project $514,000 with a restroom, $314,000 without); Sheffield Lake requested $250,000 for sewer-line improvements and street paving on East Drive (phase cost $738,000); the Neighborhood Alliance requested $50,000 for…