West Sacramento staff announce 2025 CDBG availability, ask commission for priorities

Isaiah Alford, community investment planner in the Economic Development and Housing Department, told the West Sacramento Economic Development and Housing Commission that the city is announcing availability of 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and is asking the commission to open a public hearing and provide feedback on draft priorities.

Alford said West Sacramento has been an entitlement jurisdiction since 2016 and must develop a five‑year consolidated plan and annual action plans to receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CDBG funds. He told the commission that CDBG activities must meet one of three federal national objectives — benefit low‑ and moderate‑income households, prevent or eliminate slums and blight, or address urgent needs — and that 70% of the jurisdiction’s allocation each year must benefit low‑ and moderate‑income people.

Alford summarized the current consolidated plan (adopted in April 2021) goals: addressing homelessness and creating housing opportunities; infrastructure improvements in disinvested neighborhoods; fair housing education and counseling; support for small businesses; and preservation of affordable housing stock. He described recent uses of CDBG funds, including motel rehabilitation for interim housing, the North Riverwalk Trail extension, and lighting and safety work in the Washington and Broderick neighborhoods.

On anticipated 2025 funding, Alford said the city has not yet received HUD’s allocation but expects an amount near recent years’ allocations (he cited a prior allocation of $519,475). He said the city expects about $100,000 in program income and presented a funding breakdown that reserves up to 20% for general administration and up to 15% for services, leaving the remainder for eligible projects. Alford emphasized staff prefer to fund activities that are ready to move forward and can be leveraged with other federal, state, and local funds.

The commission opened a public hearing. Don Bosley, executive director of Mercy Coalition, asked the commission to consider directing CDBG funds toward a “Mosaic Village” campus the Mercy Coalition is planning. Bosley described Mosaic Village as a multi‑use campus for mental health services, workforce development and edible food recovery, and said the site could expand supportive services tied to housing: “There is such a great need for real, ongoing, enduring mental health services for, navigators who are trauma informed, case managers who are trauma informed.”

Commissioners asked staff technical and timeline questions. Staff said the city will begin work next year on the next five‑year consolidated plan, confirmed the program year refers to the city’s fiscal year (July 1–June 30), and described selection criteria: federal eligibility and timeliness tests, meeting consolidated plan goals, and the ability to leverage other funding. Staff said because West Sacramento’s annual CDBG allocation is relatively small, the city generally selects a few focused projects rather than issuing broad small‑grant competitions.

Commissioners also asked about motel acquisitions and rehabilitation. Staff said the city used local funds to purchase two motels and used CDBG funds as part of a funding mix to pay for substantial rehabilitation required to make interim housing placements possible. Staff noted CDBG funds typically leverage other county and state funds to cover larger project costs.

Alford closed by asking for commission input on priorities; staff will take recommendations from the commission to the Parks Commission and then to the City Council as part of drafting the 2025 annual action plan and a 30‑day public comment period.

No formal motion or vote on funding priorities occurred during the meeting; staff requested feedback and opened, then closed, the public hearing.