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Plano council adopts 2025–29 consolidated housing plan with changes to first-time buyer provisions
Summary
The Plano City Council on April 7 adopted the 2025–2029 Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan, revising the draft to remove a broad first-time homebuyer down-payment program from the new five-year plan and prioritizing rental assistance, rehabilitation and homelessness prevention.
The Plano City Council on April 7 adopted the 2025–2029 Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan, which outlines use of federally provided Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds. After extensive discussion about program priorities, the council approved the plan with a set of changes narrowing first-time homebuyer assistance and limiting acquisition/resale or new-construction uses outside the federally required CHDO carve-out.
Curtis Howard, director of neighborhood services, summarized the federal grants and draft goals. The plan covers programs including housing rehabilitation, tenant-based rental assistance, homelessness prevention, public services, and CHDO (Community Housing Development Organization) projects. Howard said the city receives both CDBG and HOME funds from HUD and that the city’s calendar and implementation timeline will continue through June and July with CRC (Community Resources Committee) recommendations before HUD submission in August.
Council members raised repeated concerns about the first-time homebuyer down-payment assistance program, arguing it provides large benefits to a very small number of households rather than spreading limited funds across more households for homelessness prevention, rehabilitation and tenant-based rental assistance. Howard and staff explained that HOME rules require a minimum CHDO set-aside and that some nonprofit developers building affordable houses had expected down-payment support to make those homes affordable at market appraised values.
The council adopted the overall consolidated plan but directed staff to remove a general first-time homebuyer down-payment program from the new 2025–29 plan; council preserved previously allocated first-time homebuyer funds already approved in an earlier plan so the two nonprofit-built homes currently under construction can reasonably be sold without forcing the city to return federal funds to HUD. The city also limited acquisition/resale or new-build allocations outside the CHDO set-aside for the 2025–29 plan period and directed staff to prioritize tenant-based rental assistance, homelessness prevention and targeted rehabilitation.
The motion to adopt the plan with those changes was moved by Council member Anthony (last name not specified) and seconded by Council member Casey Prince (full name: Council member Casey Prince). The council’s final tally on the adopted resolution with the amendments was recorded as 6–1 in favor (one council member absent at the vote). The resolution takes effect immediately and staff will return with CRC funding recommendations and a July action plan for allocation specifics.
Ending: Staff told council it can amend the consolidated plan later if market conditions change or CHDO-built homes cannot be sold, and the council asked staff to report back in the July action-plan timeline with CRC recommendations and any further adjustments needed.
