GREELEY, Colo. — The City Council on Tuesday adopted amendments to several U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement planning documents: the HOME-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) allocation plan and amended annual action plans for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for 2024 and 2025.

HOME-ARP amendment: Housing staff proposed and council approved an amendment to the HOME-ARP allocation plan to allow funds to be used for tenant-based rent assistance and supportive services, in addition to previously authorized activities. Housing Director Deb Collis said the change will allow HOME-ARP funds to be used as a leveraging source to match a recently awarded state grant for rent assistance and supportive services tied to the Homeless Solutions Department. Collis also noted HUD adjusted the city’s HOME-ARP award upward by $16.84 due to a national correction.

CDBG annual action plan amendments: Staff said reconciliation of internal fund-tracking with HUD’s system and the agency’s timeliness rules required amending the 2024 and 2025 annual action plans. Collis explained that COVID-era pauses in project activity had created a timeliness backlog for many jurisdictions, and the amendment reallocates funds and documents planned projects so Greeley complies with HUD’s requirement that local grantees not carry more than a specified unpaid balance over time.

Council action: Council unanimously approved the HOME-ARP amendment and both CDBG annual action plan amendments by roll-call votes. Collis and staff said the changes will enable rental-assistance and homelessness-prevention activities to proceed and ensure HUD reporting and timeliness compliance.

Why it matters: The changes allow the city to use HOME-ARP funds for tenant-based rent assistance and supportive services — enabling the city to leverage a state grant — and reconcile CDBG funding to avoid HUD timeliness penalties and to fund local housing, infrastructure and homeless-services activities.