Jackson County holds public hearing on proposed $400,000 CDBG housing-rehab application; officials pledge RFPs and committee review

Jackson County commissioners held a public hearing on a proposed $400,000 Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to fund homeowner rehabilitation across the county.

The hearing focused on a CDBG “My Neighborhood” homeowner rehabilitation program Accelerate Jackson County and a private consultant described as intended to help income-qualified homeowners with repairs such as roofs, furnaces and energy-efficiency work. Debbie Kelly, vice president of Accelerate Jackson County and county liaison for the project, said the county submitted a letter of intent to MSHDA and that a full application is due Sept. 17.

The proposal, as discussed at the hearing, would request the program maximum of $400,000. Individual homeowner grants can be up to $40,000; grants above $10,000 would carry a five-year lien on the property. Accelerate Jackson County said 18 percent of the award — estimated at $72,000 — is earmarked for administration, environmental review and related RFP processes.

Why it matters: Accelerate Jackson and the presenters said the program aims to preserve aging housing stock, reduce blight and help lower-income homeowners remain in place — issues they described as tied to economic development and workforce needs across Jackson County.

Details and debate

Debbie Kelly said Accelerate Jackson County coordinated the letter of intent after Profitable Affordable Housing Development LLC (PAHD) alerted the county to the MSHDA opportunity. PAHD founder Sam Ramsey and Accelerate Jackson staff described months of outreach to state administrators and other counties to understand the program and changes to the state’s application process.

Residents and several commissioners pressed for clarity on process, oversight and fairness. Key points raised during the hearing: - Selection and procurement: Commissioners and public commenters asked why PAHD had been closely involved before a competitive RFP for a grant administrator. Accelerate Jackson and County Administrator Mike Overton said PAHD helped prepare the application materials but that the county must still run an RFP to select a third-party grant administrator, environmental review officer and chief inspector if awarded the grant. - Timing: Kelly and Ramsey said the state changed program rules in March; Accelerate Jackson submitted a letter of intent on April 17 to reserve the county’s place in the round and was invited to apply by Sept. 17. - Administration and cost: The proposal’s 18 percent administrative fee (about $72,000 of a $400,000 award) would cover the environmental review, RFP costs and other administration; commissioners and public commenters questioned whether that sum was sufficient to hire or contract all required roles. - Selection of recipients: Accelerate Jackson initially referenced “first come, first served,” which drew criticism. After discussion, Accelerate Jackson said it will establish a committee to evaluate applicants by need and qualifications (income eligibility, urgency such as lack of heat) rather than relying solely on first-come-first-served selection. - County financial exposure: Commissioners asked whether county general-fund dollars would be used. County Administrator Mike Overton said the award would be fiduciary to Jackson County and that, as presented, the program should be cost-neutral to the county; some commissioners pressed for procedures to track any county staff time or legal involvement so taxpayers would not indirectly subsidize administration.

Public comment at the hearing reflected support for repairs for low-income homeowners and skepticism that the county’s existing Community Action Agency (CAA) could or should be supplanted. Speakers urged strong transparency, township-level outreach so rural residents know about the program, and written criteria for prioritizing applicants.

Outcome and next steps

The public hearing was closed by motion at the meeting; no application decision was made that night. Accelerate Jackson County and county staff said they will draft the formal application, run required RFPs for third-party contractors if the grant is awarded, form the review committee, and return to the board with a completed application and recommended processes for applicant outreach and payment authorization prior to final submission.

Any future board action will include formal consideration of the completed application and, if awarded, contracts or agreements for administrators and contractors.