Skagit County closes public hearing on CDBG public services grant; application will seek $64,000 for East County services

Skagit County commissioners on June 10 closed a public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public services application for 2025–26 after presentations by Skagit County Public Health and East County Community Action. Staff said the county will apply for an annual award of $64,000 to support services in East County.

Madeline Anthony of Skagit County Public Health told the board the grant supports a partnership with East County Community Action and targets services for low-income households in the county's upriver communities. "The annual award amounts are allocated based on a formula that looks at service area population and poverty levels," she said, and reported that the county's award for the next year will be $64,000.

Why it matters: The CDBG public services allocation funds local resource navigation, housing intakes, homelessness prevention, employment services and other essential needs that East County residents may not otherwise be able to access.

Program outcomes and service details Sandy Finney, Chief Strategy Officer at East County Community Action, and Stephanie (Community Action staff) summarized outcomes for the July 1–June 30 grant cycles covering 2022–24. Key figures and program details reported to commissioners: - Reach: East County Resource Center served more than 1,200 unduplicated people across the 2022–24 period, about 700–800 unduplicated people per year. - Poverty and demographics: About half of people served are at or near 50% of the federal poverty line (2024 approximate thresholds: $7,530 for an individual; $15,600 for a family of four). Roughly 28% of clients are ages 25–44 and about 57% are older than 45; staff said the client base includes an increasing number of children and families. - Housing status and needs: About 27.3% of people served were unhoused at intake; staff also reported that roughly 37% of clients served have a disability and are on Medicaid. - Services provided: Resource navigation, housing coordinated-entry intakes, homelessness prevention, diversion funds, congregate and sack-lunch meal service, energy and benefits assistance, and severe-weather shelter operations. - Local results: In the past year Community Action assisted three people into housing (including elderly clients into subsidized housing) and served diversion funds to five people that helped avoid homelessness. The congregate lunch program previously provided nearly 800 meals monthly; during a temporary move and remodel the program served 25–30 sack lunches per day with many recipients senior residents.

Board action and next steps Commissioner motioned to close the public hearing. Commissioners voted to close the hearing by voice vote; the transcript records "Motion carries 2 to 0." County staff said a resolution to approve submittal of the CDBG public services application is expected in the coming week.

Ending note: County staff said the grant is modest in amount but serves as part of a "braiding" of funding that helps East County clients access housing and essential services, and that Community Action's data collection and creative local problem-solving are central to delivering services in upriver communities.