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Santa Clara holds first public hearing on HUD consolidated plan; staff recommends CDBG and HOME allocations
Summary
City staff presented the draft 2025–2030 consolidated plan and FY 2025–26 annual action plan at the April 8 meeting, recommending continued funding for CDBG public-service grantees and tenant-based rental assistance; council voted unanimously to approve the draft and continue the public review process.
City staff presented a draft 2025–2030 consolidated plan and the fiscal year 2025–26 annual action plan for federal HUD entitlement funds at the April 8 Santa Clara City Council meeting and held the first of two required public hearings.
Adam Marcus, division manager for Housing and Community Services, told the council the city receives roughly $1,700,000 in annual HUD entitlement funding and described draft spending proposals that prioritize affordable housing development, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, fair-housing services and public-facility improvements. Marcus said the city seeks to continue a tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) program and to fund nonprofit public services; he told the council: "The city of Santa Clara receives approximately $1,700,000 in annual entitlements from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development."
Staff recommendations and NOFA results: Staff reviewed results of the city’s notice of funding availability (NOFA) and recommended continuing funding for existing CDBG public-service grantees, proposing $30,000 grants to each of six recurring agencies (total $180,000). For capital-improvement uses (rebuilding and repairs), staff recommended allocations to programs including Rebuilding Together, the Neighborhood Conservation and Improvement Program (NCIP), Project Sentinel (fair housing services) and tenant-based rental assistance programs operated by Abode Services; the capital and housing totals in the draft action plan exceed $1 million when combined with prior-year and program income estimates.
Public comment emphasized services for older adults, seniors in long-term care, housing stability and legal aid. Speakers included Milton Cadena of Catholic Charities’ ombudsman program, who described facility advocacy work for nursing-home residents; Alma Soto of Heart of the Valley Services, who asked for continued senior-service support; Pilar Furlong of Bill Wilson Center, who praised the plan’s focus on homelessness prevention and mental-health supports; Katie Fanton of Abode Services, who described the TBRA program’s role in housing families; and Georgia Veil of Senior Adults Legal Assistance (SALA), who urged continuation of legal-help funding for older residents.
Limits and contingencies: Staff explained that CDBG rules cap the proportion of funds that may be used for public services and that the draft plan includes contingency language to account for potential reductions or increases in the federal allocations. Marcus also described other local and state resources — HOME-ARP and PLHA were cited — that staff plans to leverage where eligible.
Council action: After public comment and council questions, the council voted unanimously to note and file the draft consolidated plan and approve the draft for the second public hearing scheduled May 13. Staff will include written public comments and return a revised draft for final council adoption after the May hearing.
What to watch for: Staff will release the NOFA recommendations and funding agreements, return with the May 13 public hearing results and provide the final consolidated plan and annual action plan for council adoption after public review. Nonprofit applicants awaiting awards were urged to coordinate with staff on contract details and timing.
