San Marcos council clears HSAB spring schedule, defers decision on automatic CDBG allotments for CASA and HCWC

Carol Griffith, the city’s housing and community development manager, presented an update on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) spending and a set of proposed changes to the Human Services Advisory Board (HSAB) process at the San Marcos City Council work session on July 1.

Griffith said the city receives $750,000 a year in CDBG funding and that “from August 2023 to July 2025, the city will have spent 2,400,000.0 in CDBG funding.” She told council the HSAB application review would move to spring in 2026, with applications due in March, board review in April and May, a board recommendation in June, and council consideration in July (CDBG allocations would be decided in August and HSAB recommendations in September under the proposed schedule).

Why it matters: the timing change is intended to reduce overlap and confusion for nonprofit applicants. Griffith said staff reviewed whether HSAB could also review CDBG public‑services applications and concluded the CDBG public‑input timeline would be pushed into late fall/holidays—“not the best time for public involvement”—so staff recommended separate application reviews but with HSAB receiving CDBG recommendations before making its own funding recommendations.

Councilmembers voiced support for the schedule as presented. Councilmember Lydia Rodriguez said she appreciated…