Mobile County presents draft 2025–2029 consolidated plan and 2025 annual action plan; opens 30-day comment period

Mobile County staff presented the county's draft 2025–2029 consolidated plan and the 2025 annual action plan and opened a 30-day public comment period on the county's application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for CDBG and HOME funds.

The plans, the presenter said, serve as Mobile County's official application to HUD and describe how the county would use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program funds if allocated in the federal budget for 2025. "The consolidated plan and annual action plan serve as the county's official application to HUD for these funds," Staff member (presenter) said.

Why this matters: the consolidated plan sets five-year priorities that guide federal grant spending aimed at assisting low- and moderate-income residents. The draft prioritizes public facilities and infrastructure, public services, housing preservation and production, homeowner repairs, demolition of blighted structures, and fair housing activities — all of which determine which programs and projects Mobile County can fund if HUD awards the grants.

Staff outlined program scopes and examples of eligible activities. CDBG funds can support housing-related activities such as rehabilitation and land development (but not direct new housing construction), public facilities and infrastructure improvements (parks, sidewalks, lighting, ADA accessibility), economic development activities, nonprofit support, and up to an administrative allocation for county program management. "CDBG is…