La Mesa holds public hearing on CDBG consolidated plan; staff to advance Tower Street sidewalk project

The City of La Mesa opened and closed a public hearing June 10 on the five-year consolidated plan and the Fiscal Year 2025–26 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan, and staff recommended funding a mobility project and related program activities.

Myra Pina, senior management analyst for community development, told council that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated $456,031 in CDBG funding for La Mesa for 2025–26. Staff recommended allocating $405,829.29 to the Tower Street Mobility Access Improvement Project, which is located between 70th Street and 68th Street in a CDBG-eligible neighborhood and identified in the sidewalk master plan.

Staff also proposed $30,000 for fair housing services to be administered through the city’s fair housing administrator (CSA), $50,000 for administrative activities including environmental review and reporting, and $6,000 for housing-specific administrative costs tied to the rehabilitation loan program. Staff said $35,789.95 in prior-year administrative savings would be applied, producing a proposed total of $491,829.95 when combined with the carryover savings.

The Tower Street project is intended to provide new sidewalk where none exists and design work is expected to be completed this year, with construction anticipated by December 2026, staff said. A member of the council noted the project’s proximity to Rolando Elementary School and said improving pedestrian access has been a long-standing request.

Council closed the public hearing, accepted the STAC recommendation and directed staff to return on July 8 with final documents for HUD submission no later than July 12.