Palm Coast proposes CDBG allocations for home repair, first-time buyer aid and public services for 2025

Jose Poppe and Jacqui Gonzalez from Community Development presented the city’s FY2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan to the Palm Coast City Council on July 22. The plan proposes allocating the city’s HUD-administered CDBG funds to housing rehabilitation, a first-time homebuyer program, public-service grants (capped at 15% of the allocation) and planning/administration (up to 20%). Key allocations: The Citizens Advisory Task Force recommended funding for single-family owner-occupied home-repair grants, $50,000–$75,000 for a first-time homebuyer program and the maximum 15% cap for public-service grants delivered by nonprofit partners (examples cited included emergency rent or utility assistance, and summer-camp scholarships for low/moderate-income families). Why it matters: CDBG is a HUD grant program that targets low- and moderate-income residents and allows cities to fund housing- and community-development activities that meet national objectives. Poppe said the countywide consolidated-plan process sets the data-reviewed context and that this annual action plan will be submitted after the 30-day public-comment period and a public hearing at the council’s August meeting. Next steps: Staff said the public-comment period runs through the end of the posted 30 days and that the plan will be returned for council approval at a public hearing in August before being submitted to HUD. The Citizens Advisory Task Force recommended council approval.