Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency discusses 2025 HUD action plan, seeks clearer job-placement reporting

The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency met Tuesday, Feb. 11, to review economic development applications for the 2025 HUD action plan, set a tentative public hearing for Feb. 28 and ask providers to supply clearer data on job placements and program quality.

Agency staff told members that a public hearing is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 28 and that each applicant will have a roughly 12-minute presentation and a Q&A slot. Staff said the agency will offer advance questions to applicants so they can incorporate answers into their presentations or be prepared for the Q&A session. Members were told staff will return in March for a deeper comparative review of the applications.

Members focused discussion on outcomes reporting for several job-training programs in the economic development category. Staff provided a short summary showing cost and placement figures and a larger, more detailed table of program outcomes for 2023. Staff noted the 2023 projects remain in progress, reporting through Dec. 31, and many programs have only expended about 75% of their 2023…