The Dearborn Heights City Council voted Tuesday to approve the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan for program year 2025–26 and authorized its submission, while residents and some council members pressed staff on public-notice timing and advertised deadlines for applications.

The council-approved plan specifies about $1.099 million in entitlement and program income for 2025–26, according to department staff, with increases proposed in housing rehabilitation and senior services and continued allocations for public facilities and code enforcement.

Multiple public speakers and the city treasurer raised timing and public-notice issues during the public-comment period. The city treasurer and several residents said they could not find evidence that the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) required for public application had been published in time, and that HUD’s submission deadline cited in materials appeared inconsistent with information those speakers had verified. “The submission deadline for HUD is 08/16/2025, not June 28,” the city treasurer told the council during public comment; another resident said she had checked with a CDBG director in a neighboring jurisdiction and confirmed August 16 as the deadline.

CEDD Director Saad (identified in meeting materials as the director of community and economic development) told the council the department had worked from last year’s allocations because HUD’s formal allocation announcement arrived in May, later than normal. Saad said HUD provided local jurisdictions additional time this year, and staff intended to submit the plan now with general project categories so the city can re-program funds and run a full competition for awards once HUD’s approval and timelines are final. “We were looking for projects early on. But because we were doing this with the original date in mind, we were not able to... HUD does allow us to reprogram funds if we find projects that we want to fund,” Saad said.

Director Saad and her deputy outlined allocations included in the plan: approximately $599,243 for housing rehabilitation (up from about $324,000 the prior year), $158,825 for public services (up from $100,000), $115,000 for code-enforcement activities (up from roughly $85,852), and continued allocations for public facilities and blight projects. Staff said $350,000 previously earmarked for Van Houten Park projects remains undetermined for this program year and will be assigned after projects are identified.

Council members asked staff to publish final funding opportunities and confirmed HUD’s 45-day review period for submissions. Director Saad said that, after HUD’s approval (45 days after submission), the city can go out again to advertise specific opportunities and invitations for nonprofit applicants. “After it is submitted and approved by HUD, you can go back out and publicize the availability of the funds and agencies can apply,” Saad said.

Outcome and next steps: the council voted to approve the plan and the mayor will sign it for submission to HUD. Council members asked staff to prepare a public-notice and outreach schedule and to make a targeted effort to contact community nonprofits that previously received funds. The department also agreed to return to the council if specific reprogramming or larger program changes are proposed.

Ending: The council’s vote advances the application to HUD while staff said they will continue outreach and may issue a second round of notices and public hearings once HUD’s allocation and timelines are certain.