Chester holds public hearing on draft 2025 consolidated plan; estimates $1.25M CDBG, $340K HOME budgets

City staff held a public hearing March 11, 2025, on the draft 2025 consolidated plan and the draft 2025 action plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funding, presenting estimated allocations of $1,250,000 for CDBG and $340,000 for HOME and inviting public comment.

The hearing was convened to give citizens and interested parties an opportunity to comment on the draft documents, which were published for public display starting March 3, 2025, and will remain available through April 4, 2025. City staff said the City Council is scheduled to consider the consolidated plan and action plan at its regular meeting on May 14, 2025, and that submission of the final plans is projected for about May 30, 2025, contingent on notification by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of the city's final allocation amounts.

City staff said HUD Secretary Scott Turner terminated the 2021 affirmatively furthering fair housing final rule on Feb. 26, 2025, and that the city will not present an analysis of impediments to fair housing choice at this time. "As a CDBG and HOME grantee, the city of Chester must continue to affirmatively further fair housing as and to the extent required by the Fair…