DuPage County advisory group approves FY2025 CDBG, ESG and HOME funding recommendations

DuPage County’s HOME Advisory Group on Jan. 7 approved recommended allocations for fiscal year 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funding, after staff presented the county’s five-year consolidated plan and summarized applicant scoring and eligibility requirements.

The recommendations, presented by county staff member Julie, assume level funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): approximately $3,600,000 for CDBG, $286,000 for ESG and $1,500,000 for HOME. Julie said the consolidated plan process that produced the priorities included an early public hearing, surveys and focus groups and informed five priority needs: affordable housing for owners and renters, public facilities and infrastructure, public services, reducing homelessness and administrative/planning capacity.

The advisory group’s vote follows staff scoring of competitive applications and an emphasis on projects that are “shovel ready” to ensure timely expenditure of CDBG funds. Julie told the committee that the neighborhood investment round received 15 applications (eight for 2025 and seven for 2026) and that staff placed some projects on a B list as alternatives if additional HUD funding becomes available or a recommended project cannot proceed. She said staff recommended awarding the top-scoring neighborhood…