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Beloit council adopts 2025 city budget and approves HOME, CDBG consolidated plan and BID operating plan
Summary
The City of Beloit adopted its 2025 operating and capital budgets, approved the 2025 HOME Investment Partnerships program budget, approved the 2025–2029 consolidated plan and the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) budget, and approved the Business Improvement District operating plan and budget.
The Beloit City Council on Nov. 7 approved the city's 2025 operating and capital budgets and several related housing and community development plans and budgets.
Council adopted the 2025 all-funds budget of roughly $117 million and a general fund budget of about $40.3 million; the property tax levy reported a decrease of roughly 2.48% (approximately $490,000), producing a projected local tax rate of $6.586 per $1,000 of assessed value, about $0.00994 less than the prior year. The resolution for the 2025 operating budgets (resolution 2024-135 on the agenda) passed after earlier presentations and a workshop; the council approved the budget by voice vote.
The council also approved the 2025 HOME Investment Partnerships program budget (resolution 2025-125 on the agenda). Staff reported that the HOME allocation and carryover will fund several projects including single-family new construction and acquisition/rehab; the agenda packet lists funds for acquisition/rehab of a city-owned property at 737 Bluff, direct homebuyer assistance and homeowner rehab programs.
On CDBG matters, the council approved the 2025–2029 consolidated plan, the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA) documents, the 2025 Annual Action Plan and a CDBG budget the Community Development Authority (CDA) recommended. Staff estimated a 2025 CDBG budget total of about $785,000, composed of an estimated $570,000 in HUD formula funds, $125,000 in 2024 program income, $120,000 of prior-year unspent rehabilitation revolving loan funds, and an estimated $95,000 in 2025 program income.
CDA recommended allocations in the draft budget include (selected highlights): $200,750 for the city's housing rehabilitation program (this figure includes prior-year unspent funds), $175,000 recommended for code enforcement, and a set of neighborhood revitalization strategy area (NRSA) awards (for example: $45,000 to Community Action's resource navigator, $20,000 to ECHO for rental assistance for homeless prevention, $45,000 to Family Services for a neighborhood resilience project, and awards for neighborhood cleanups). The public services category is capped at 15% of the grant and CDA recommended awards that total the cap (about $104,250) across local agencies including Beloit Citywide Youth Softball, Community Action, Family Promise, Messiah Lutheran Food Pantry, Stateline Literacy Council, RSVP, and others. Council voted to approve the consolidated plan and CDBG budget by voice vote.
The council also approved the 2025 Business Improvement District (BID) operating plan and budget, which projects BID revenues of roughly $235,000 and proposed expenses for downtown promotion, design, beautification and programming; the BID budget anticipates a modest net income and a carryover balance to manage weather-dependent event risk.
Several public commenters during the meeting spoke to the local housing and human service needs that inform these budget decisions. Kiara (community engagement specialist and case manager, Salvation Army Pathway of Hope) described the Salvation Army's rental assistance work and urged reconsideration of a funding decision (she said the Salvation Army was not selected to receive CDBG funding for 2025), and Carol Wilkins (director, Messiah Lutheran Church Food Pantry) thanked the council for the food pantry's funding award and warned of increased need after Second Harvest funding was denied.
Votes at a glance: Resolution 2024-135 (2025 operating/capital budgets) — approved by voice vote. Resolution 2025-125 (HOME Investment Partnerships program budget) — approved. Resolution 2024-124 (2025–2029 consolidated plan, 2025 Annual Action Plan and 2025 CDBG budget) — approved. Resolution 2024-137 (2025 BID operating plan and budget) — approved.
Why it matters: The budget and HUD plan approvals set city spending priorities for 2025, allocate federal and local funds for housing, code enforcement and public services that target homelessness prevention and neighborhood revitalization, and fund downtown economic development and events.
