Pasco planning commission holds public hearing on 2026 CDBG funding; applicants seek about $1.2 million as city prepares recommendation

City staff opened a public hearing on the City of Pasco’s 2026 Community Development Block Grant annual action plan and allocation, telling the Planning Commission that the city estimated a HUD entitlement of $650,000 for 2026 but that required deductions—20% for administration and a Section 108 debt payment of about $250,000—leave roughly $300,000–$400,000 available for grant projects. Kristen Webb, who presented the program rules and timeline, said the city received 14 proposals requesting about $1.2 million and that staff will return next month with a scoring‑based recommendation for the commission to consider before the City Council takes final action and the city submits its allocation to HUD.

The split matters because the Consolidated Plan priorities—affordable housing, neighborhood and economic development, homeless interventions and public services—drive which projects score well, but the available funds are smaller than the total requests. Webb noted that HUD caps public service activities at 15% and that staff will use HUD scoring criteria to make recommendations.

Applicants who presented and key details:

- Upwards (Boost childcare). Melanie Fore, community impact manager, said Boost pairs in‑home child care providers with coaching and digital tools to streamline operations and increase revenue. Fore said the program would be free to participating providers and families “not just through the program year but in perpetuity,” and that Upwards requested $128,000…