The Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee (HACDAC) voted April 4 to approve the draft 2025–2030 consolidated plan and to forward the committee’s funding recommendations for the fiscal year 2025–26 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for consideration.

The vote followed a staff presentation on the draft plan and a public hearing during which service providers described how proposed CDBG and HOME awards would support legal services, shelter and case management, senior services, and other programs serving low‑income residents across the urban county. Natalie Monk, housing and community development division manager in the Office of Supportive Housing, told the committee that the county is estimating approximately $1,450,000 in CDBG entitlement funds and about $824,000 in HOME entitlement funds for fiscal year 2026 and that contingency language is included in recommendations in case HUD’s final allocation differs from the estimate.

Why it matters: The consolidated plan sets Santa Clara County’s housing and community development priorities for five years and directs limited federal and program income resources for public services, housing development, home repairs and fair housing activities. Staff said the county programs an estimated $4,000,000 in CDBG and HOME funds for a variety of activities in FY2025–26, and noted caps and rules that limit how much can be used for public services and administration.

Staff presentation and funding details
Natalie Monk and program staff said the county manages CDBG funds for the urban county (unincorporated areas plus seven partner cities) and HOME funds for the HOME consortium. Katrina Anderson, program manager, reported that the county issued a five‑year NOFA in January and is recommending awards to 13 public service providers, two housing rehabilitation organizations and one respondent for an economic development program. Katrina Anderson said the recommended public service contracts are expected to serve approximately 1,500 low‑income individuals and that, overall, staff estimated roughly $280,000 would be available for public service contracts and about $370,000 for administration and fair housing in FY2026, pending HUD’s final allocation.

Staff highlighted recent outcomes from the fiscal year 2024 CAPER: more than 2,300 low‑income individuals served through 15 public service programs; 44 low‑income homeowners receiving deferred maintenance or emergency repairs; and a total of 2,514 low‑income individuals served or assisted with CDBG funding. Staff also noted larger capital investments the board previously committed: $3.4 million in HOME funds to Distal Circle and Mitchell Park Place, and earlier HOME funding to the Meridian project.

Public comments and nonprofit testimony
Several nonprofit representatives described services they expect to continue or expand if recommended funding is approved by the board. Sujata Venkataraman, executive director of West Valley Community Services, said her agency provides grocery assistance (a choice grocery market and a mobile pocket market), case management, eviction prevention, and supportive services across the urban county. Melanie Ford, community impact manager at Upwards, said the Boost program helps low‑ and moderate‑income in‑home childcare providers “optimize their operations and revenue” and can expand locally with county support. Jonathan Darr, development director at Nexstar Solutions to Domestic Violence, said the shelter serves about 2,300 people a year and that the organization does not turn people away.

Other speakers included Carol Conn, executive director of Project Sentinel, who described fair‑housing and tenant‑landlord counseling services; Georgia Veil, directing attorney for Senior Adults Legal Assistance (SALA), who said 75% of the seniors served from partner jurisdictions were very low income; Sarah Fields, director of community engagement and public affairs at LifeMoves, who said case management at the Opportunity Services Center helped about 40% of clients connect to permanent housing last year; and Angelica Holguin, director of programs at Silicon Valley Independent Living Center, who said the center provided one‑on‑one housing counseling to 129 urban county clients in the prior fiscal year.

One public commenter raised an objection to local housing in‑lieu fee policy, saying developers were using pay‑in‑lieu options to avoid producing affordable units and calling the practice “a scam” and “a corruption and a and a exploitation of people” (public comment from Paul So to). Staff responded during questions that the project calls referenced in public comment include Distal Circle, a 90‑unit 100% affordable supportive housing development in Los Altos that has been awarded both CDBG ($2,300,000 committed) and HOME ($2,400,000 committed) funds and that another $400,000 was used in Los Altos Hills for accessibility improvements at a senior community center (heritage house).

Committee questions and next steps
Committee members asked staff for clarification about the HUD allocation timeline, the difference between entitlement cities and consortium members (for example, Gilroy receives CDBG directly from HUD but participates in the county HOME consortium), and how the county coordinates with partner cities. Hillary Armstrong, deputy director in the Office of Supportive Housing, said county staff meet regularly with city staff and that the county tries to match available funding sources (HOME, CDBG, Measure A bond funds and others) to competitive affordable housing proposals. Armstrong also said county staff are “watching the federal funding environment very closely” and that historically CDBG has bipartisan support but that uncertainty remains.

The public comment period on the draft annual action plan opened April 4 and will close June 3. HACDAC forwarded the plan and funding recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, which will consider the plan and any final funding commitments after HUD issues its final allocations.

Votes at a glance
The committee passed the motion to approve the 2025–2030 consolidated plan and the FY2025–26 funding recommendations relating to CDBG and HOME and to forward the package to the Board of Supervisors. The roll call recorded affirmative votes from Member Scazzola; Member Meadows; Member Martinez Beltran; Member Badami; Member Aftab; Member Fruin; Member Ramirez; Member Stone; and Chairperson Sylvia Arenas. Outcome: approved and forwarded to the Board of Supervisors.

Documentation and where this was reported
Staff said the full list of recommended projects and programs and funding amounts are in Attachment A of the staff report. The county will present the draft annual action plan to the Board of Supervisors in June, submit the annual action plan to HUD, and then enter into agreements with selected service providers for fiscal year 2025–26.