Longview council approves 2025–2029 HUD consolidated plan, keeps prior goals

The Longview City Council on July 22 voted to approve Resolution 25-69, authorizing submission of the 2025–2029 Longview–Kelso Consortium consolidated plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The consolidated plan, presented to the council in a public hearing by Kenny Robinson, a city staff member, keeps the city’s five-year goals unchanged: increase affordable housing supply; preserve and improve existing housing; provide services to improve housing and economic outcomes; and provide public facilities and improvements. Robinson told the council the plan is filed every five years and is submitted concurrently with the annual action plan.

“The consolidated plan goals are to increase the affordable housing supply, preserve and improve existing housing, provide services to improve housing and economic outcomes, and then provide public facilities and improvements,” Robinson said during his presentation.

The presentation summarized progress since the prior plan: 72 affordable housing units developed between Longview and Kelso; 40 units with funding committed at Catlin and Maine; three Foundation for the Challenge disabled housing units under construction and five additional units planned; homeowner rehab work by Lower Columbia CAP serving 10 families to date; and preservation work at Soundview Apartments including roofing and window replacements.

Robinson also presented housing and economic data used for the plan: a Department of Commerce projection of about 8,000 additional people in the Longview–Kelso area by 2050, a need estimate of roughly 3,300 housing units, and an aging and cost-burdened household profile. He said rents have seen slight decreases since 2019 but median home prices rose about $99,000 since 2020. Robinson noted programs funded in the current annual action plan include tenant‑based rental assistance, shelter services at Sunrise Village, the Highlands lighting project, ADA curb cuts and repairs to a Salvation Army elevator used in senior meal service.

During the hearing, public commenters raised questions about how homelessness and transitional housing are represented in the plan. One resident argued the city’s public-comment rules restrict citizens’ ability to speak when “a matter is brought up and it's being considered,” and Arlene Hebble urged council action on homelessness and the storage of belongings for people experiencing homelessness.

Robinson confirmed that Hope Village was added to the plan’s shelter category in a revised draft he uploaded earlier the same afternoon. He also said projects in the annual action plan had already been approved by council in April and that staff recommended adoption of Resolution 25-69 to authorize submission to HUD.

Council member discussion before the vote was brief. A motion to approve Resolution 25-69 was seconded and passed by voice vote with all members present voting in favor. The approval authorizes staff to submit the consolidated plan and the city’s annual action plan for 2025 to HUD.

Funding sources and program implementation details remain as listed in the plan and annual action plan; Robinson noted some funded projects already have council commitments and other projects are in progress. The council did not adopt additional city-funded homelessness programs at this meeting; several council members and public speakers requested further work and coordination on homelessness outside the HUD consolidated-plan process.

The council closed the hearing after public comment and approved the resolution.