Battle Creek public hearing on 2025–29 consolidated plan draws pleas for more rental assistance and services for chronically homeless

Battle Creek City officials opened a public hearing April 15 to solicit input on the city’s 2025–2029 consolidated plan and the 2025 annual action plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. City Community Development manager Helen Guzzo told the commission the city expects about $1,200,000 in CDBG funds and roughly $300,000 in HOME funds for 2025.

Why it matters: Community members and nonprofit leaders told the commission that the proposed allocation—heavily weighted toward rehabilitation and new construction—would not meet urgent needs for rental assistance, case management and supports for chronically homeless residents.

City staff presented the plan scope and timing. Helen Guzzo, manager of Community Development for the City of Battle Creek, said the city has participated in CDBG programs for about 50 years and that the consolidated plan will be drafted in the next three weeks and return to the commission for approval in June. Guzzo said current annual CDBG funding is about $1.2 million (down from approximately $1.8 million in 2012) and HOME funding is roughly $300,000; the city funds minor home repair, code compliance, public services, and HOME partnerships including Habitat for Humanity and a tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) program.

Service providers and residents pressed for more operating and direct-assistance dollars. Robert Elkhart, director of the Share Center, said many clients meet HUD’s definition of chronic homelessness and need affordable rental options and supportive services now, not just new construction that takes years to complete. Elkhart said proposed public-service grants in the draft plan would be a small share of the total and risk leaving service providers unable to support TBRA recipients with case management.

Whitney Wardell, president and CEO of Neighborhoods Inc., said the organization has previously used TBRA allocations to serve at least 40 households and urged the commission to consider extending grant terms and reallocating past or current funds to cover rental arrears and prevent evictions. Speakers emphasized that the lowest advertised one‑bedroom rent cited was $678 per month and that the TBRA allocation in the draft—$98,000—would not meet community demand; one speaker calculated that at that level TBRA would cover only short-term assistance for a limited number of households.

Other testimony raised program design and accessibility issues. Jill Anderson and Robert Elkhart argued the plan places excessive emphasis on new construction versus direct rental subsidies, security deposits or application-fee assistance; they noted $4,489,357 in HOME funds carried forward for new construction from prior years and urged reallocating some of those dollars to TBRA and homelessness prevention. Habitat for Humanity representatives described building costs and said federal dollars the city commits can leverage volunteer labor and additional grants to stretch housing production across years.

Residents and neighborhood leaders urged broader approaches. Jim Marino, chair of the Post Franklin Neighborhood Planning Council, advocated for activating underutilized properties and infill development to increase housing supply. Kathy (last name not stated) promoted infill, tiny homes, duplexes and small multi‑family housing as lower-cost, quicker options. Gerald Cassatt, CLC homeless representative, and other residents described rising housing instability and recommended tiny-house and other alternative housing strategies.

Several speakers called for better coordination and a long-term funding approach. Daniel Jones, executive director of the Haven of Rest, thanked the commission for CDBG support and urged consideration of a dedicated, larger local funding source—such as a millage or budget reallocation—to sustain permanent supportive housing and services, citing examples from neighboring counties.

What the commission said: Commissioners and remote participant Commissioner Simmons acknowledged the breadth of housing needs and suggested convening a community housing summit with nonprofits, developers and government partners to coordinate solutions and consider a housing coordinator role.

Outcome and next steps: City staff said the consolidated plan will incorporate comments from the hearing, be posted for public review, and return to the City Commission for approval in June. No formal amendments or votes on the plan were taken at the hearing.

Ending: Community members and providers asked the commission for a rebalancing of funding away from some new-construction allocations and toward tenant-based rental assistance, supportive services and short-term homelessness prevention; city staff committed to reflect public comments in the draft consolidated plan that will come back to commissioners in June.