Council approves draft 2024 CAPER: city reports CDBG, HOME and Home‑ARP spending and outcomes

The council opened a public hearing on the city’s draft 2024 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME and Home‑ARP programs and, following staff remarks, approved the CAPER for submission to HUD.

Program manager Renee Skene said the CAPER is required annually by HUD and includes resources, investments and demographic information about assisted households. Skene reported the city received about $886,000 in CDBG funds and about $509,000 in HOME formula funds for the year; she said expenditures included roughly $1.3 million in CDBG (including rollover funds) and about $2.0 million in HOME (also using rollover funds). Skene said the city completed nine rehabilitation projects, reported 180 rental units completed (which staff identified as Arlington Traces), and six new‑construction homes completed. She said the city assisted 753 households through housing rehab, down‑payment assistance, new construction and nonprofit subrecipient programs.

Skene also noted minority‑owned businesses received 100% of the city’s rehabilitation contract awards (totaling just under $900,000) and the city provided funding to five nonprofit partners: Community Crossroads Center, Center for Family Violence Prevention, Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Plain, Guinea Community Solutions and Martin‑Pitt Partnership for Children. The CAPER public comment period opened Aug. 16 and included two public meetings on Sept. 10; staff recommended adoption and submission to HUD by the Sept. 30 deadline.

After brief discussion and no public speakers, councilmember Blackburn moved to approve the CAPER; the motion was seconded and carried 5-0.