Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Assistance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hampton council adopts 2024 CAPER, cites reduced housing wait list
Summary
The City Council approved the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report required by HUD, detailing use of CDBG and HOME funds, program accomplishments and a reduced wait list after a $2 million local allocation.
Hampton City Council on Sept. 24 approved the city's 2024 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), a HUD-required summary of how the city used Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding in the 2024 program year.
The adoption, approved unanimously, allows the city to submit the CAPER to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and preserves the city's eligibility for federal CDBG and HOME funds that finance homeowner repairs, home-buyer assistance, neighborhood improvements and code inspections.
The city reported $1,413,232 in HUD-related funding for the program year that ran July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. Of that total, about $900,000 was allocated to CDBG activities and just over $500,000 to HOME programs; staff said the HOME program also generated nearly $80,000 in program income that was reinvested into HOME activities.
Monica Maher, community engagement manager, told the council the federal funds and local investments supported a range of outcomes. "From improving energy efficiency and accessibility in homes to supporting new affordable housing construction, and expanding opportunities for home ownership, these investments have made a measurable difference," Maher said.
Among the accomplishments staff highlighted: - 15 completed weatherization and energy-efficiency projects, with five more underway; 13 accessibility ramp projects completed and two underway; staff said those efforts served 28 households in the program year. - More than 3,300 rental inspections performed through the city's rental inspection and "safe and clean" initiatives. - Two new affordable homes completed through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, with two additional units under construction.
Staff also reported progress on a backlog of applicants for housing services. The wait list for housing programs peaked at 353 residents in January 2022; as of the report, staff said 212 clients remained on the list and the oldest outstanding request dated back about two years. Council staff credited a local allocation approved by council in January 2022 for a $2,000,000 critical-repairs fund with significantly reducing the backlog: $924,000 of that allocation has been used to address urgent health-and-safety repairs for households, helping 57 families remain in their homes.
City staff provided a breakdown of work funded through the local allocation: 39 HVAC systems restored or replaced, 35 roofs replaced, 18 hot-water heaters replaced, seven electrical-panel upgrades, 14 main water-line repairs and 10 main sewer-line repairs. Staff said they are prioritizing hires for rehabilitation and inspection positions to address staff vacancies and retirements that slowed delivery.
The CAPER presentation also described home-buyer assistance (down-payment and closing-cost support plus an interest-rate benefit of about 1 percentage point through local "spark" funds) and explained that the HOME program requires a 25% local match, provided in this case by the HRHA-sourced spark grant.
The 15-day public-comment period for the draft CAPER closed at the meeting; staff said comments received will be incorporated into the final report to HUD. Council voted to approve the CAPER as presented.
The city identified continued outreach and partnerships with the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority (HRHA) and community partners as key steps to ensure residents know about and can access these programs going forward.
