Staff outlines draft 2025–29 consolidated plan, 2025–26 annual action plan and funding allocations

City staff outlined a draft five‑year Consolidated Plan (2025–29) and the 2025–26 Annual Action Plan to the High Point Community Development Committee on June 3, reporting federal and state funding allocations, program income and proposed priorities and scheduling a 30‑day public comment period beginning in June.

Staff reported the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) formula allocation for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds as $841,005.29 for the coming program year and a HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) allocation of $424,074. Staff said CDBG represents an increase of about $41,000 from the prior year while HOME is down by roughly $5,000. Program income from loan repayments also will contribute to available resources. Staff said the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency awarded $165,000 for an urgent‑repair program and $70,000 toward a construction‑training program (staff said the construction‑training program totals $140,000, with the city providing the remaining $70,000). The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program allocation was listed at $14,500 and the city general fund contribution reported as $2,181,283.

Staff described draft priorities focused on housing, homelessness and special‑needs populations (including the elderly and persons with disabilities), and said limited resources make it infeasible to address a broad slate of public‑facility and infrastructure projects within this consolidated plan. Staff explained that the consolidated plan will guide CDBG and HOME investments and that the annual action plan is the strategic plan for how those funds will be used in the coming program year.

Staff said public outreach has begun: an initial public meeting was held in May and another public meeting is scheduled for June (timed with a Citizens Advisory Council meeting). Staff said the draft plan will be posted for a 30‑day public review and comment period in June and, depending on public comments, the plan will be returned to the committee for a public hearing and requested approval at the end of July.

Committee members raised questions about addressing "NIMBY" opposition to affordable‑housing projects and how to encourage community support. Staff emphasized education to counter myths about affordable housing, the role of the pending housing study in shaping recommendations (including zoning and density suggestions) and the importance of incentives and subsidized capital—citing the housing impact fund as one tool to provide favorable financing to preserve affordability. Staff and council members also discussed innovation in construction—such as 3‑D printing and other nontraditional methods—to reduce costs and recommended further exploration of such approaches regionally.

Staff described the city’s homebuyer education classes (virtual sessions offered the first and third Saturdays of each month), a preferred‑lender list that has completed program training and the availability of down‑payment assistance and other resources to help prospective buyers access financing. Staff said homebuyer classes are free and that participation increased during the pandemic when classes shifted to a virtual format.

Staff will continue outreach and return with a draft plan for public comment and a subsequent hearing and approval request depending on the input received.