Salinas committee approves HUD consolidated plan, recertifies Alisal neighborhood revitalization area

The Salinas Housing and Mass Use Committee voted to approve the City’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fiscal year 2025–29 consolidated plan, the 2025–26 annual action plan and the recertification of the Alisal Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (ANZRA), forwarding the proposals to City Council for a public hearing on Jan. 17, 2025.

The consolidated plan serves as a five‑year strategic blueprint for HUD funds including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). Vincent Montgomery, planning manager with the Community Development Department, told the committee the plans outline priorities such as expanding affordable rental housing, homeowner rehabilitation, homeownership programs, homeless services and public‑facility improvements.

Montgomery said the draft action plan proposes allocating $2,200,000 in CDBG funds, $963,000 in HOME funds and $188,000 in ESG funds for fiscal year 2025–26. He said CDBG allocations in the draft include program administration, Chinatown neighborhood improvements, streetlight installations, housing referral services and tenant/landlord support. HOME funds are targeted to affordable housing development, administration and community housing development organization (CHDO) activities. Montgomery said ESG funding is directed toward rapid rehousing programs and administrative support.

The presentation also described the ANZRA designation for the Alisal neighborhood. Montgomery said the designation “gains flexibility in using CDBG funds and reduce[s] administrative requirements,” allowing the city to concentrate resources for infrastructure and economic revitalization in that contiguous, predominantly residential area whose residents meet the HUD low‑income threshold the city used for eligibility.

Committee members asked about the Chinatown Navigation Center (CNC) and ESG funding. A staff member clarified that the ESG allocation is designated for outreach and rapid rehousing and that the proposed funds would first be directed to CNC as it finishes its current term. The staff member said the City is “continuing to explore work with the operator to identify their funding sources to extend operation through inclement weather” and that if not all allocated rapid‑rehousing funds are needed at CNC, they “can be transferred into the sort category for just general rapid rehousing.”

The presenter identified alternate projects to maintain compliance with HUD expenditure deadlines if primary projects cannot proceed. Those alternates included ADA sidewalks and curb ramps, environmental remediation at Division Street, Sherwood Recreation Center Phase 4 improvements and additional housing services. In the presentation the speaker listed alternate project ceilings as: sidewalks for a neighborhood (listed as “2 $550,000” in the slide transcript), housing services up to $500,000, Division Street remediation up to $220,000, and Sherwood Recreation Center Phase 4 up to $500,000.

After discussion and a public‑comment period with no speakers, the committee moved to approve the consolidated plan, annual action plan and ANZRA recertification. The roll call vote recorded Councilman Sandoval, Councilman Salazar and Chair Barajas voting yes; the motion passed.

The item will proceed to the full City Council for the scheduled public hearing on Jan. 17, 2025, where final approval and any amendments may be made.