Clark County outlines 2025–29 consolidated plan process, funding priorities to Washougal council

Clark County Community Services representatives briefed the Washougal City Council on March 24 about the county's updating of its five‑year consolidated plan, which sets priorities and the first‑year action plan for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds.

Rebecca Royce, program coordinator with Clark County Community Services, said the consolidated plan will cover program years 2025–2029 and that the county is preparing the plan now so it can submit projects after HUD confirms grant amounts this spring. "We are working on an update to our five year consolidated plan that oversees what this funding does in our community," Royce said.

The presentation explained basic program rules and recent local allocations. Elizabeth McNaney, a consultant working with the county, described entitlement status and eligibility tests and noted Washougal is included in the Clark County urban‑county jurisdiction (Vancouver is a separate entitlement grantee). McNaney said CDBG funds this year total "just over $1,500,000" for the urban county and HOME funds are "just over half a million dollars," and she summarized program limitations: CDBG may use up to 20% for planning and administration and up to 15% for public services; HOME administration is capped at 10%.

McNaney reviewed eligibility rules the county applies when scoring projects: area‑benefit projects require at least 51% of residents in a service area to be low‑to‑moderate income, multifamily projects must meet income thresholds for resident households, and HOME funds are more prescriptive and typically tied to developing or preserving affordable housing or tenant‑based rental assistance. She explained HUD provides income limits and block‑group data grantees use to draw qualifying service areas.

County staff urged public outreach and partner involvement. Royce and McNaney said the county has launched a stakeholder survey, completed multiple provider interviews and will hold targeted meetings across Clark County before releasing a draft plan for public comment. Preliminary survey responses identified affordable and safe housing, services and shelters for people fleeing domestic violence, and better access to medical and behavioral health services as recurring priorities.

Council members asked for clarification on program mechanics and local examples. McNaney and Royce cited recent Washougal projects funded through the urban‑county program, including upgrades at Hamlet Park and a past HOME‑funded development highlighted in the slide deck. They also noted the county uses additional local and nonprofit partners — named during the presentation were Proud Ground, Evergreen Habitat for Humanity, Reach and the Vancouver Housing Authority — as implementers or developers for homeownership and rental projects.

Next steps outlined in the presentation call for continued outreach, a draft consolidated plan and adoption once HUD confirms funding (HUD typically notifies grantees of allocations about 60 days after appropriations are finalized). McNaney warned the county's final award could change if there are mid‑year federal rescissions, a possibility she described as unlikely but not impossible.

The county asked residents and local organizations to complete the stakeholder survey and to attend upcoming meetings so the plan reflects local needs. "We are really hoping to get as much information and input as we can," McNaney said.

The council did not take any formal action on the consolidated plan at the March 24 meeting; staff directed residents to the county survey and to future council agenda items where implementation and project proposals will appear.