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Council approves CDBG reallocations for Boykin Gym insulation, street resurfacing and amends COVID-era rental assistance projections
Summary
The council authorized amendments to state and federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications and action plans to update beneficiary counts for coronavirus-era rental/utility assistance and reassign program income to local projects including Boykin Gym insulation and five resurfacing projects.
The Auburn City Council on June 3 approved two related Community Development Block Grant actions: a state application amendment to revise the projected number of beneficiaries for coronavirus-era rental and utility assistance, and an amendment to the FY2023 CDBG action plan to reassign $316,794 to new activities including Boykin Gymnasium insulation and resurfacing of several neighborhood streets.
Al Davis, Community Services director, told the council the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) requires beneficiary counts to match actual outcomes. The city had projected 429 beneficiaries for the state coronavirus rental/utility assistance allocation but staff later used other CARES-era funds that arrived directly to the city and thus could not meet that projected number with the state funds, Davis said. “We were able to allocate a little almost a hundred and $40,000 which we did spend from the allocations the cities received directly and was able to help a little over 500 people, 500 families with those dollars,” Al Davis said.
Davis said the city reallocated the unspent state funds to local needs rather than losing the dollars. “We didn't lose the dollars. Those dollars was just reallocated to the food bank and food pantry,” he said.
Separately, staff explained that HUD’s timeliness test showed the city had program income from the sale of affordable housing — about $375,000 — and that the city needed to reassign $316,794 of CDBG funds to timely activities or risk future eligibility problems. The council approved reallocating roughly $200,000 of those funds to the Boykin Gym insulation project (work already underway) and the balance to street resurfacing projects on Darden Avenue, Laverne Avenue, Jones Street, Julie Avenue and Crosby Avenue.
Council members asked for clarification about project scope and scheduling. Public Works staff said they would check resurfacing schedules for the Boykin Street corridor and confirm whether separate resurfacing work was planned. The city manager’s office confirmed the general fund would front Boykin-related costs and be reimbursed from CDBG when eligible.
Council voted to approve both amendments. Staff said the changes preserve the city’s CDBG standing with HUD and ADECA while redirecting funds to local capital and nonprofit priorities.
