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Baldwin Park opens public hearing on HUD consolidated plan, seeks input on CDBG and HOME priorities
Summary
City staff held the first of two public hearings on the 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and the 2025–26 annual action plan covering Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds, outlined a public comment period May 19–June 18 and answered council questions about allocations, eligible uses and outreach.
The Baldwin Park City Council opened a public hearing April 16 to gather public input for its 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan and the 2025–26 Annual Action Plan, the documents the city uses to apply for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funding.
The hearing is the first of two required public hearings and will inform the draft plan and the city’s priorities for affordable housing, community development and homelessness prevention programs. City consultants said the 30-day public comment period for the draft will run May 19–June 18, with a second public hearing scheduled for June 18.
Anna Marie Lanou, a consultant with Avant Garde assisting the city on HUD compliance, told the council the consolidated plan ("con plan") will cover program years 2025 through 2029 and will serve as the city’s application to HUD for CDBG and HOME funds. Lanou said HUD has not yet issued allocations; HUD notifications were expected the week of May 12, and the city will have 60 days from receipt of the allocation to submit the final plan.
Lanou reviewed eligible uses: CDBG funds typically fund projects that benefit low- and moderate-income persons, activities to address slums and blight in designated areas, or urgent needs; HOME funds support affordable housing activities for low-income households. She also described administrative caps and program limits: up to 15% of CDBG may be used for public services (with a cap at 50% for certain sub-uses), and up to 20% may be used for program administration, with the remainder available for capital or community development projects.
Council members and members of the public asked for clarifications about likely dollar amounts and program targeting. Council member Lozano asked whether the city’s prior allocations remain secured; Lanou said funds already programmed and under executed agreements remain available and can be reprogrammed for approved projects. Council member Estrada urged using a public-health approach and data-driven prevention strategies, citing city housing metrics he summarized from the city’s data: 44.6% of Baldwin Park households face housing cost burden, 21.5% face severe cost burden and 19.3% live in overcrowded units. Lanou encouraged broad outreach to low- and moderate-income residents and stakeholders via online and stakeholder surveys and targeted consultations.
Council members also discussed draft funding magnitudes mentioned in the meeting: one figure referenced as the city’s prior CDBG allocation was $4,100,000 and prior HOME entitlement as $1,100,000; Lanou clarified those were past allocations and that CDBG and HOME are separate entitlement streams with distinct eligible uses.
No formal action was required at the hearing; the council voted to open the public hearing record and accept public input. The consultant said the city will publish the draft con plan for a 30-day review beginning May 19 and return for the required second hearing on June 18, after which staff will finalize the submission to HUD once the allocation notice is received.
The city encouraged residents and stakeholders to participate in the outreach surveys and to submit comments during the public comment period.
