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Resident warns Newton County could lose $4 million HUD Westside grant without required documents
Summary
A resident and a former commissioner told the Board of Commissioners that a $4 million HUD grant award for a Westside facility is at risk because Newton County has not submitted required post-award documents and no executed grant agreement exists.
Two residents raised alarms at the June 17 meeting about a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant for a Westside facility and questioned whether Newton County has completed required post-award steps to secure the $4 million award.
"I would not have in my possession, madam chair, the grant award letter from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development dated 03/02/2023 to Commissioner Alaina Sanders... Grant number B23CPGA00464," said Tresia Hodge during citizen comments, reading from the letter she said she held. Hodge told the board the award letter requires the county to provide documents needed to prepare and execute the grant agreement and said the county had not submitted those materials, including a line-item budget, project narrative and environmental review.
Former District 3 Commissioner Elena Sanders said she had worked on the grant application and that Congressman Johnson’s office had corrected the grantee name to "Newton County, Georgia." "So there is no problem on the grant," Sanders said, adding that the remaining issue is completing the county-side paperwork so an executed agreement and reimbursements can proceed.
Why it matters: Hodge and Sanders said the absence of an executed grant agreement means the county cannot draw down funds for the Westside project. Hodge asked the board to say whether it will submit the requested documents and when, warning that losing the grant would shift project costs back to local taxpayers.
Board response and context: Commissioners said they wanted to review the documentation and move matters forward if possible. Commissioner Long said he planned to follow up after the meeting. No formal vote or contract execution on the HUD grant occurred during the session.
Next steps: The speakers requested that county staff submit the outstanding post-award materials needed to complete the HUD grant agreement. The meeting record shows the county has not produced an executed agreement for the grant as of the June 17 meeting; speakers asked the board to confirm whether staff will provide the requested documents and a timeline for doing so.
