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Toledo outlines 2025–30 consolidated plan process, warns of likely federal funding shortfalls
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Summary
City housing officials described outreach and application tallies for the 2025–30 consolidated plan and 2025–26 action plan, flagged demand that exceeds available Community Development Block Grant and Emergency Solutions Grant dollars, and set a public hearing and review timeline tied to an uncertain HUD allocation.
Toledo housing officials on Feb. 27 briefed the City Council’s Housing and Community Development Committee on the city’s 2025–30 consolidated plan process and the 2025–26 annual action plan, saying demand for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) dollars substantially exceeds anticipated funding and that the city must make difficult allocation choices.
The consolidated plan frames the city’s housing, community development and market needs for five years and is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Rosalyn Clements, Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, told the committee that staff and a consultant are finishing public engagement and data analysis and will seek public input before submitting the plan and the annual action plan to HUD.
“HUD officials keep telling us proceed with your normal application process, continue with your work until we tell you otherwise,” Clements said, adding that the department is preparing under the assumption that allocations could fall. Monica Bridal, community planning and development grants manager, summarized the outreach and application totals that will inform funding recommendations.
Bridal said the city and consultant CEW Advisors reached about 108 individuals representing roughly 90 agencies, conducted 39 consultations, ran four in-person community input meetings and one virtual meeting, and received roughly 581 online survey responses. From that outreach staff identified five emerging priorities, ranked from highest to lowest: affordable housing; programs for children, youth and teens; home repair programs; jobs and economic development; and workforce development and skills training.
On applications, Bridal said the city received 34 non‑homeless services applications requesting $4,653,004.95 in CDBG funds; one HOME program application requesting $250,000; and 11 ESG applications requesting $1,289,782. She warned that these requests exceed anticipated allocations: public services requests comprise about 26% of anticipated CDBG-funded requests, compared with a HUD cap of roughly 15% on public services; and the ESG requests exceed expected ESG funds by about 86%.
“Only 3% of my budget for staffing and operations is funded by the general fund,” Bridal said, noting the department’s administrative capacity is heavily supported by federal admin dollars and would be strained by significant cuts. She also described the city’s monitoring regimen: departmental monitors visit funded agencies monthly to review finances and performance.
Councilman Sarantu told the committee he will pursue meetings with the city’s new U.S. senators and urged advocates to press for more flexible rules and more funding. “I always tell people we need affordable housing,” Sarantu said. He also asked staff whether citizen reviewers could visit applicant sites; Bridal and Clements agreed that the city would add site visits to the review process for top candidates.
Key process dates and next steps presented to the committee include citizen review committee (CRC) applicant interviews in early March (homeless providers March 3; non‑homeless providers March 4–6), three public hearings on draft plans (listed in the presentation as April 3, April 24 and May 1), a 30‑day public comment period described as beginning April 23, and a target timeline to present funding legislation to council by May 13 with hoped‑for passage by May 20. Clements said final submission of the consolidated plan and action plan will follow HUD’s notice of the city’s allocation.
No formal funding decisions were made at the committee meeting; staff said they are proceeding through the regular application, review and public comment process and will return with recommendations after HUD confirms the city’s allocation. The committee was invited to attend the CRC applicant interviews and the scheduled public hearings.
The department said it will promote the public hearings and comment period through public notices, press releases, website and social media postings and email to community partners, and that hearings will be accessible to people with disabilities and available virtually by request.
