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Westland City Council adopts resolution supporting HOME Partnership funding
Summary
The City Council adopted a resolution backing the federal HOME Partnership program, noting the city received $230,000 this year and uses the funds for down-payment assistance, homeowner rehabilitation, administrative costs and a school building-trades partnership.
The Westland City Council on Aug. 4 adopted a resolution expressing the city’s support for the federal HOME Partnership program and the city’s use of its FY funding allocation.
City Director Campbell told the council that “the home partnership program is funded by the federal government. This year, the city received $230,000 under the home partnership program and city council approved at the first meeting in May, the expenditures of those funds.” The director listed four program areas funded locally: down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers; homeowner rehabilitation for low- and moderate-income owners; administrative expenses; and the city’s partnership with the Wayne Westland Community Schools building-trades program, in which students build houses and the city provides funds for materials.
The resolution was moved by Councilmember Murkowski and supported by Pro Tem Sampe; after discussion the chair called for any dissent and, hearing none, the motion passed. Council members who spoke in favor noted the program’s long local history, the educational benefits of the building-trades partnership, and concern about federal proposals to cut HOME funding. Director Campbell also told the council that the Senate’s budget proposal at that time proposed to maintain funding while the president’s and the House proposals had recommended elimination.
Council discussion included references to local outcomes: the city’s Community Housing Development Organization, Liberator Development Group, is building two houses in the Norway subdivision that will be sold with down-payment assistance. Council members said the program has run locally for decades and has helped “hundreds of families.”
The adopted resolution does not appropriate additional funds; it expresses the council’s support for the HOME Partnership program and documents Westland’s current uses of its HOME allocation.
The council then proceeded to other agenda items.
