The Edinburg City Council on May 30 approved the city’s Fiscal Year 2025–26 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan, which includes $465,942 for a housing reconstruction program, $90,000 for emergency rental assistance and a new smart water‑meter replacement project intended to replace aging meters in eligible subdivisions.

City grant officials said the funds aim to serve low‑ and moderate‑income areas and support nonprofit public‑service programs. Claudia Barrias, director of the grant administration department, told the council the housing assistance allocation will fund reconstruction of three homes and that emergency rental assistance funds for the current fiscal year had already been fully expended in January.

“...we're proposing $465,942 because that'll go to the reconstruction of 3 homes,” Claudia Barrias said during the public hearing. Barrias also said the city received an allocation letter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for FY 2025–26 and that the smart‑meter project would be carried out by the utilities department to replace aging meters in CDBG‑eligible subdivisions.

Council members and staff said the CDBG program has limited funds and that project selection followed meetings with the community development council. Dr. Lial and Elizabeth Martinez, officers with the community development council, participated in the review process presented to council. Councilmember comments acknowledged the demand for housing repairs and nonprofit services and asked for future outreach to older residents about yard‑upkeep assistance.

The council voted to adopt the plan after the public hearing; the motion passed with no recorded opposition. The council packet lists projects recommended for funding and identifies public‑service agencies that would receive support, including Amigos del Valle and Capable Kids Foundation.

The annual action plan covers projects to be funded beginning Oct. 1, 2025. Claudia Barrias told the council that the HUD allocation letter for FY 2025–26 is already in hand, and that federal appropriations discussions at the national level will not affect the city’s FY 25–26 CDBG allocation at this time.

During public comment, resident Fern McClarty asked for more transparency about how budget decisions are made and whether residents would have input on spending priorities. The council did not take additional direction beyond adoption of the plan at the meeting.