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Council directs $150,000 in CDBG public‑service funding; boosts homelessness share and asks staff to prioritize community grants
Summary
The council accepted Community Development Advisory Committee recommendations for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public‑service awards, modified allocations to increase homelessness services, and directed staff to prioritize applicants for the city’s community service grant program during the budget process.
The Jurupa Valley City Council voted to accept recommendations from the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) for the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public‑service awards and to prioritize those applicants for the city’s community service grant (CSG) program in the upcoming budget process.
The CDBG program provides the city an annual entitlement from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. By federal rule the city may allocate up to 15% of its annual CDBG entitlement to nonprofit public‑service programs; staff said the city’s 2025 entitlement estimate is about $1,000,000, making the 15% set‑aside roughly $150,000.
CDAC recommendations and council action: The advisory committee recommended allocating the $150,000 as follows: Corona‑Norco Family YMCA $5,000 (youth healthy living), Family Services Association (senior nutrition) $25,000, Girls on the Run $5,000, Jurupa Valley Lions Club $5,000, Jurupa Valley Football & Cheer $5,000, Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center $5,000, and Path of Life Ministries $100,000 (homeless outreach and shelter placements). At the council meeting the council modified the recommendation to increase Path of Life’s award to $125,000 and to keep Family Services at $25,000; council also directed staff to make the CDAC‑recommended applicants a priority for the city’s separate Community Service Grant (CSG) program during the budget process.
Why it matters: Staff and nonprofit speakers told the council CDBG‑funded services are a core part of the city’s homelessness response and youth/senior programming. Chris Oberg of Path of Life said CDBG funds support two full‑time outreach workers who respond to calls from code enforcement and the sheriff and provide reserved shelter beds. Oberg noted the city used CDBG‑funded services to help 84 residents last fiscal year, with 34 placed into permanent housing.
Administrative note and constraints: Staff warned the council that CDBG carries substantial federal reporting and administrative requirements; CDAC and staff said the administrative burden and HUD reporting make small awards relatively expensive to process. Staff estimated the local administrative cost to document and manage a typical CDBG public‑service contract is on the order of the award amount (roughly $4,000–$6,000) because HUD compliance is required for each subrecipient. Council members asked staff to route applicants who did not receive CDBG awards toward the city’s less‑restrictive CSG program, which staff said opens July 1 and will be administered with fewer federal reporting requirements.
Public comment: Path of Life and the Corona‑Norco YMCA made presentations. Chris Oberg (Path of Life) said that reductions in their CDBG awards in prior years have already constrained the outreach program and that an award below $100,000 would force them to reduce services. Lori Draenksen of the Corona‑Norco YMCA described the YMCA’s youth health program and its local partnerships. Anthony Kelly, representing Jurupa Valley Steelers, asked the council to reconsider smaller youth sports awards and suggested a July adjustment to support youth programs if the council deemed it appropriate.
Legal and fiscal caveats: City Attorney and staff reminded the council that any city contract for CDBG subrecipients is contingent on the city receiving federal CDBG funds; if the federal allocation changes, the city’s awards would be adjusted accordingly. City Manager Rod Butler also noted the CDBG entitlement amount has decreased modestly over recent years and that the city is budgeting conservatively.
Outcome: The council approved the CDAC recommendations as modified (Path of Life $125,000; Family Services $25,000), and directed staff to prioritize the CDAC applicants when structuring the city’s fiscal year community service grant program during upcoming budget hearings. Staff will return with program materials and with any changes required by HUD funding levels.
