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Arkansas City commission authorizes application for $300,000 CDBG housing rehab grant
Summary
The commission voted to certify legal authority to apply to the Kansas Department of Commerce for a $300,000 small cities Community Development Block Grant to rehabilitate roughly nine homes, with a $4,000 city commitment and additional local match expected from landlords and other sources.
The Arkansas City Commission voted to authorize the mayor to sign and submit an application to the Kansas Department of Commerce for a 2025 small cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) under the housing rehabilitation category.
City staff told commissioners the proposed grant is for $300,000 and would support renovation of about nine dwellings — five rental units and four owner-occupied homes — and include demolition of two blighted structures. The staff estimate put the total project cost at $350,000, with a $50,000 local match coming from a mix of landlord contributions, weatherization funds and other city resources; the resolution clarifies the city will commit $4,000 to the project.
The staff presentation noted a recent change to the CDBG program that removed the requirement to target a single neighborhood; that change allows the city to open the grant to the entire community. Staff said the city has received more pre‑applications than the number of units the grant could cover and that applications were distributed across the city rather than concentrated in one area.
Commissioners opened a public hearing on the application; no members of the public spoke and the hearing was closed. The commission then passed a resolution certifying the city’s legal authority to apply and authorizing submission of the application.
City staff said the typical CDBG project cycle takes about two years and that the city may apply again after completion of the current cycle.
The resolution carries no additional conditions in the meeting record; the staff packet and future grant documents will specify program guidelines for selecting units and administering landlord contributions.
The commission’s action allows staff to finalize and submit the application to the Kansas Department of Commerce.
