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Community Development shifts revitalization to Monarch NRSA; Habitat named city's CHDO for affordable housing
Summary
The Community Development Department detailed program moves including new grants-management software, a shift from Riverview to Monarch NRSA starting in July, and a formal partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Owensboro'Daviess County as the city's certified CHDO and primary developer for single-family affordable homes.
Abby Shelton, director of the Community Development Department, told the Commission the department's FY25'1026 request is modest and focused on continuing federal program administration and local revitalization work.
Shelton said the department's "total department request for for fiscal year 20 25, 20 26 is $350,022 reflecting an increase of $14,234 or 4 percent," and added the increase is primarily personnel-related but will be partially offset by administrative fees charged to federal program grants.
Shelton said the department will implement new grants-management software specifically for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) administration, which staff said will improve federal compliance monitoring, automate reporting and streamline file management.
Shelton said that beginning in July the department will transition its revitalization focus "from the Riverview NRSA in the Northwest to the newly designated Monarch NRSA on Northeast Side Of Owensboro," and that the Riverview NRSA had supported over 300 projects generating more than $11 million in total investment since 2020.
The director also said the city has designated Habitat for Humanity of Owensboro'Daviess County as the city's certified community housing development organization (CHDO). Shelton said Habitat will serve as the city's primary developer and builder for affordable single-family housing under federal programs, allowing the city to leverage federal dollars for lower-cost homebuilding.
Shelton told the commission final federal allocations for CDBG and HOME are expected in early May and the department will begin taking applications in July for the Monarch NRSA.
The presentation included program-level budgets for public-improvement projects such as single-family rehabilitation, rental rehabilitation, and the 50/50 demolition initiative. Shelton said the department will also expand grant-administration support to other city departments to grow external funding without further burdening the general fund.
No formal action was taken during the briefing.
