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Citizens Advisory Committee presents CDBG recommendations; CAPER posted for public comment
Summary
The city’s Citizens Advisory Committee reviewed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations, added two organizations to public‑service recommendations, explained how ARPA funds may supplement home‑repair programs, and posted the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for public comment.
City staff and the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) reported March 17 on recommended Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations and related programs.
Ryan Iorio summarized the CAC recommendations and said the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) was posted March 14 and is in a public comment period; a CAC public hearing on the CAPER was scheduled for the CAC meeting the following day. Iorio said the easiest place to submit written comments is planning@clevelandheights.gov.
Notable recommendations included adding Journey Center and Heights Sperman Collaborative as public‑service grantees; staff described the latter relationship as renewed after prior subrecipient activity. Staff noted that CDBG public‑service funding is constrained by federal caps and that a continuing resolution at the federal level would likely hold funding near current levels.
City staff explained how American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds can be used to supplement CDBG home‑repair programs: ARPA can cover gaps for projects that exceed CDBG caps, or serve residents who do not qualify by income for CDBG, or be used where ARPA funds that had been used for payroll relief were reclassified as general‑fund resources. Staff said some ARPA allocations previously used for payroll have effectively become general‑fund resources and can be deployed for problem‑solving in housing repairs.
Staff also said the city’s long‑standing home‑repair and exterior‑repair programs were available and that some residents have been asking how and when ARPA‑enabled exterior repair programs would be ready; staff said program rollout timing is in process and encouraged interested residents to contact planning@clevelandheights.gov.
Other data noted in the presentation: several programs showed carryover funds from previous years, the commercial façade/renovation loan program remained healthy, and the Office on Aging’s CDBG allocation had declined from $40,000 to $15,000 because the Office of the Aging had carryover funds and had not replaced a staff position. Staff said the CAC has 22 slots and currently several vacancies.
This presentation was informational; the transcript does not record final council action on the CAC’s recommendations at the Committee of the Whole meeting.
