Summit County officials told Barberton City Council on Monday that the county will accept and coordinate Barberton residents' Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications and pair those funds with county housing programs to expand home repairs and weatherization services.

Holly Miller, assistant director in the Summit County Department of Community and Economic Development, told council the county will provide a single application intake for owner-occupied single-family homes and will match applicants to programs run by the county, using the city’s CDBG dollars only to fill gaps not otherwise covered.

"What we're going to be able to do is to have one application…then from that application we will be able to determine what programs the county has that we'll be able to utilize for that resident that income qualifies," Miller said. She described county programs that include home weatherization assistance, lead-safe and lead-abatement programs and a septic replacement or sewer-connection program for properties with EPA orders. Miller said the partnership will let the county use its grant funds where available and use Barberton CDBG funds only when county programs do not fully cover work.

Miller said the program aims to go live on August 1 as a pilot and that the county has an older-adult home-modification program funded by HUD with "a little over $2,000,000" to help seniors age in place. The county will expand local intake days (already held at the Barberton Library) and add outreach at community centers and local events; it will also publish contractor qualification requirements and seek certified contractors to work on program homes.

She described an example of leveraging funds: if a home's roof must be replaced before weatherization work can be completed, Barberton CDBG funds could pay for the roof so county weatherization funding can then be used to provide HVAC, water-heater and insulation work. Miller said income eligibility will generally be 80% of area median income for most programs; home weatherization uses a higher threshold close to 200% of the federal poverty level.

Council adopted the CDBG annual action plan ordinance (Ordinance 96-2025) on first reading after suspension of the procedural rule to consider it on the same night. Miller said the county will place a county office telephone number on housing orders so recipients have a direct contact for assistance. She said the initial contract is a pilot and, if successful, the county hopes to pursue additional CDBG contracts with Barberton.

What to expect: a single application intake, expanded outreach and a pilot program planned to start Aug. 1; residents with questions were told county staff will be reachable through program contact points and at local intake events.