Norwalk staff previews 2025 consolidated plan; council asks for service-level data after homeless count

City staff presented a draft 2025 consolidated plan and the fiscal year 2025–26 annual action plan for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds to the Norwalk City Council on March 4, 2025, saying the meeting was a presentation only and no formal action would be taken that night.

Alex Hamilton, senior planner, told the council that "CDBG is Community Development Block Grant and HOME" and said the city receives roughly $1,000,000 annually in CDBG funding and about $250,000 in HOME funding. He described eligible CDBG activities including public facilities, housing rehabilitation, public services and economic development, and said each CDBG activity must meet HUD's national objectives and generally take place in HUD-eligible census tracts.

Hamilton outlined staff's draft allocations for FY 2025–26: approximately $977,097 in CDBG-entitlement recommendations including $75,000 for social service agencies, $60,000 for other social-service allocations (to be determined), $100,000 for economic development, and a proposed $10,000 for Upwards, Inc. He said the draft HOME estimate is $240,414, with proposed uses including $36,062 for a CHDO (Community Housing Development Organization), $30,000 for security deposit assistance and $150,000 for an affordable housing project (to be determined).

Jesus Gomez, city manager, and Hamilton emphasized that the presentation was for council policy direction; staff will publish the draft for public review from March 25 through April 25, 2025, hold a final public hearing May 6, 2025, and submit the consolidated plan to HUD by May 15, 2025 if there are no further changes.

The consolidated-plan presentation followed a short video and staff remarks about the city's February 19 homeless count, which staff said relied on volunteer teams and Norwalk Public Safety officers to enumerate and connect people experiencing homelessness to services. City staff emphasized the count's role in shaping housing and support services and said it helps guide the consolidated-plan priorities.

Council members asked for more detailed client- and program-level data before the plan is finalized. Council Member Rick Ramirez said he would "like to see statistics or numbers of those in these different categories that are being funded" including how many Norwalk residents each program serves. Vice Mayor Jennifer Perez and other council members asked staff to report whether allocated amounts were fully used in prior years and whether any residual balances exist in programs such as the emergency assistance allocation. Ramirez noted that the emergency assistance line is capped at $75,000 and said staff reported only nine people had been served through the program as of Dec. 2024; staff agreed to research utilization and residual balances and provide follow-up information when the plan returns for adoption.

Council members also raised a funding request the city had received from Upwards Care, a local child-care support organization seeking $48,000 for an in-home child-care boost program; staff noted Upwards had been recommended for $10,000 from the economic development allocation as part of this draft.

Hamilton and staff reminded the council the draft amounts are estimates tied to anticipated federal entitlement levels and that final allocations will be adjusted if HUD awards differ. Staff said the Social Services Commission reviewed program proposals and recommended funding levels at its November meeting and that the city will accept public feedback during the 30-day review.

Staff will return with the final annual action plan and the five-year consolidated plan adoption ordinance for a May public hearing and formal council action.

Ending: City staff framed the presentation as policy guidance and an opportunity to refine funding priorities based on public review and additional data requested by council members. The council did not vote on the plan at this meeting and directed staff to provide the requested utilization statistics and to begin the public review process.