Wyoming previews draft CDBG Annual Action Plan with public hearing set for May 5

City of Wyoming staff on April 14 previewed the draft Annual Action Plan (AAP) for the Community Development Block Grant program and told council the plan assumes just under $1 million will be available for the coming program year. Paul Smith, who presented the plan, said the draft has been available at the public library and posted on the city website for about a month, and a public hearing is scheduled for May 5 so residents can comment.

The AAP sets proposed spending across four major categories: housing rehabilitation, capital outlay and public infrastructure, public services, and planning and administration. "About half of that is an estimated grant that we will receive from HUD for the coming program year," Paul Smith said, and he added the plan also relies on remainders from program years 2024, 2023 and 2021 plus about $100,000 in expected program income, primarily loan repayments.

Why it matters: CDBG funds are federal entitlement dollars intended to support housing stability, public services and community infrastructure for lower-income residents. The draft AAP proposes a mix of direct homeowner assistance, nonprofit subrecipients, and program administration that will guide how Wyoming uses those federal funds if HUD confirms the allocation.

Key allocations in the draft AAP include: - Housing rehabilitation: $185,000 for City of Wyoming rehabilitation activities (loans to homeowners for health/safety or blight reduction); $90,000 for a nonprofit home repair service that performs minor repairs and furnace installations; $65,000 for administration of those programs (including lead testing and other required compliance work). - Public services (capped category): $30,000 to Legal Aid of West Michigan for tenant assistance; $19,000 to Family Promise for rapid rehousing; $10,000 to Family Promise for housing stabilization; $26,000 to the Hispanic Center for job training (open to all community members and aligned with the city's consolidated plan goal of economic development). - Planning and administration: $100,000 for city administration of CDBG programs; $10,000 moved to administration for the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan (a change from last year when that organization received public service funding); $5,000 to Heart of West Michigan United Way for participation in the regional Continuum of Care.

Smith emphasized that the AAP is based on estimates and that HUD requires the city to include language stating any increase or decrease in the actual entitlement will be distributed equitably among programs, subject to statutory caps. He also reviewed constraints that apply to capital projects funded by CDBG: projects must meet HUD's national objectives (benefit to low- and moderate-income persons or areas, elimination of slums/blight, or emergency response) and must comply with the city's purchasing policy.

Smith said capital outlay projects in the prior program year were concentrated at the Wyoming Senior Center, with individual projects generally ranging from about $10,000 to $25,000 (ramps, railings, ADA door hardware, floor replacement and exterior handrails). He noted that individual capital projects exceeding $100,000 trigger additional federal requirements (including job training and economic development rules), while projects above the city's $7,500 purchasing threshold must come back to council for approval.

No formal council vote was recorded on April 14. The plan will be the subject of a public hearing on May 5, when the public may comment and council will revisit the AAP as required.

Availability and next steps: the draft AAP remains available at the public library and on the city's website; staff said the May 5 public hearing will give residents an opportunity to respond before council takes final action.