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Council limits home-repair grant to $250,000 in CDBG funds; staff had proposed $500,000 split with general fund
Summary
Staff proposed a third round of the Home Improvement Repair Program with $500,000 total—$250,000 CDBG and $250,000 city match. Council members raised competing priorities and agreed to proceed with $250,000 in CDBG funding only.
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — City staff recommended a third round of the Home Improvement Repair Program Tuesday to continue grants for owner‑occupied single‑family homes; council agreed to limit the program to $250,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds rather than the $500,000 proposal.
Michelle Perkins, program manager in the city’s Community and Economic Development Department, told council staff recommended a third round totaling $500,000: "This proposed allocation would be evenly split with $250,000 coming from the Community Development Block Grant or CDBG funding, and to match $250,000 coming from the City of Middletown's general fund for this year's projects," Perkins said.
Council members raised budgetary pressures and competing capital needs, including downtown building repairs, public-safety staffing and other capital projects. Council member Lawley said he preferred to "refrain from putting any money from the general fund into this and just go with the CDBG $250,000," arguing the general fund faces numerous pressing demands.
Outcome: Council members agreed to proceed with $250,000 in CDBG funds for the program; city general‑fund matching dollars were not approved at this meeting. Staff said award amounts would remain up to $5,000 per household and applicants must meet 2024 income limits and be owner‑occupied.
Why it matters: The program provides direct repairs for low‑ and moderate‑income homeowner households; limiting city general‑fund spending preserves fiscal space for higher‑priority capital needs but reduces the program’s scale.
Next steps: Staff will administer the round using CDBG rules, confirm eligibility criteria, and prepare an application process. The city may revisit funding levels in future budget cycles.
