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Public advocate presses county on 2025 CDBG consolidated plan and unspent COVID-era CV funds
Summary
At a public hearing, county public advocate Arnie Dinoff questioned staff about 2025 allocations and leftover CV (COVID-relief) Community Development Block Grant funds and asked for more detail before the council finalizes the annual action plan.
During a public hearing on the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) consolidated plan, Arnie C. (county public advocate) told the council he remains concerned about program administration, potential duplication of administrative costs with municipalities and the proposed use of leftover CV (COVID-era) CDBG funds.
Dinoff said the countywide consolidated plan covers multiple municipalities and that some jurisdictions — he specifically cited a municipality that did not join the consolidated plan — continue to operate separate programs and administrative positions. He asked staff to pursue greater administrative consolidation so more grant funds can be used for direct services such as home repairs, rental assistance and homeless prevention.
On the CV (Coronavirus relief) funds discussed under an amendment, Dinoff asked for clarification of a proposed $1,706,489 allocation and how leftover small-business, rental and mental-health assistance funds are being repurposed for a weatherization program. He requested that staff and the program director provide more detail at the next public hearing in two weeks.
Why it matters: CDBG decisions determine how federal block-grant dollars are distributed across county home-improvement, homelessness prevention and public-service programs. Dinoff said the proposed 2025 allocations include a home-improvement program, homeless prevention, rental rehab and transportation assistance for particular urban areas and urged more countywide senior services funding.
Staff response and next steps: county staff said the consolidated plan materials were available and that program representatives (such as coordinated-entry partners) can answer technical questions; staff also said Dinoff could follow up with Todd Barnes at Community Council for details on coordinated entry. Dinoff kept his remarks open for the next public hearing to allow staff time to respond.
No ordinance vote occurred during the hearing; the council will consider final adoption after the public comment period and subsequent briefings.
