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 investment projects and noted that one 2026 project is tentative pending a planned capital application round in 2026.

Staff also described scoring-based tie‑breakers. Mary Chassie asked how two projects that scored 39 were differentiated; Julie said the City of Warrenville was recommended for a $600,000 award because its application demonstrated a higher low‑to‑moderate‑income benefit than Bensenville’s application, so Bensenville was placed on the B list.

On public services, staff noted a regulatory cap of 15% of the annual CDBG allocation. For ESG, staff said there are statutory limits on how funds may be used and described internal caps applied to emergency shelter and street outreach (a 60% cap on certain categories). Julie said Catholic Charities scored highest among ESG applicants and was recommended for its full request; she also said PADS requested more than the staff recommendation and that the county board and DuPage Foundation are providing additional funding this winter for spillover hotel capacity because the interim housing center (IHC) was at capacity and had roughly an 80-person waiting list.

Julie further explained that one ESG applicant, Family Shelter Service, was not recommended because it requested emergency shelter support but did not meet staff scoring thresholds and did not use HUD’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) or a comparable database at the time of review; staff noted the applicant had indicated willingness to adopt a comparable database but received a significantly lower score than other applicants.

On HOME program updates, staff said they are underwriting two larger projects: Naperville Tower Court Residences, proposed to create about 70 affordable rental units for seniors and people with developmental disabilities (the project was awarded low‑income housing tax credits and has an identified funding gap staff are reviewing), and a Glen Ellyn project by Taft and Exeter Development with Full Circle Communities proposing about 42 rental units for working families and persons with disabilities (staff said the applicant sought approximately $1,000,000 in HOME funds at the time of presentation and later identified an additional financing gap).

The committee also approved a first modification to an existing CDBG agreement with Bridal Communities Inc. (Stability Program, project CD24‑5) to add eligible reimbursement for two additional direct‑service staff — an intake specialist and a children’s coordinator — without increasing the grant amount. Staff described the change as a clarification to allow reimbursement for positions already part of the program. The modification was seconded by Member Honig and approved by voice vote.

In an informational item, staff said a single‑family rehab project came in slightly over budget; bids exceeded estimates by $267 and staff used the single‑family rehab policy to approve the overage rather than remove scope. A committee member questioned the line items for windows and a sliding door, and staff explained the judgment to proceed with the full scope.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes, Dec. 3, 2024 — motion approved by voice vote (counts not specified). - First modification to CDBG agreement with Bridal Communities Inc., project CD24‑5 (add two reimbursable staff positions; no increase in funding) — approved (seconded by Member Honig; voice vote). - Recommendation to approve FY2025 CDBG/ESG/HOME funding recommendations (estimates contingent on HUD allocations) — motion moved by Sonya Crandall; approved by voice vote (counts not specified).

Why it matters: The advisory group’s recommendations set county priorities for federal housing and community development funds that support affordable housing, homeless services, infrastructure and nonprofit partners across DuPage County. Staff emphasized the recommendations are contingent on HUD allocations; if funding levels change, the county said it will adapt the recommended awards.

Committee action: The HOME Advisory Group voted to forward the funding recommendations and the Bridal Communities modification; staff will proceed with underwriting and further committee presentations for specific HOME projects before any formal HOME allocations are made.