Columbus officials presented the draft 2025–2029 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development consolidated plan and the draft 2025 annual action plan at a public hearing, outlining proposed projects and estimated budgets and accepting public comment ahead of council consideration.

"Thank you for joining us for this hearing on the city's 2025 through 2029 consolidated plan and the 2025 annual action plan," said Chair Bankston as the session opened. Lucy McMahon, grants management coordinator in the Department of Finance and Management, and staff from the Department of Development led the detailed presentations and answered questions.

The consolidated plan sets five-year priorities for federal HUD grant funding in Columbus; the annual action plan lists projects the city proposes to fund in 2025. Lucy McMahon said the grants management team conducted extensive outreach — 14 public meetings or community events and hundreds of survey responses — and combined that input with a needs assessment and market analysis to shape draft strategic goals.

Key proposed funding levels and program notes included:
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): an estimated city CDBG budget of about $7.5 million for 2025, with approximately $900,000 planned for city staffing and administration of HUD-funded programs. The grants team reported more than 60 external proposals totaling roughly $35 million in requests; the draft plan includes 15 external proposals prioritized from that pool.
- HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME): an estimated HOME budget of $4,250,000 for 2025, to be used for rental and homeownership gap financing, CHDO operating support, and the rebuilding lives tenant-based rental assistance program. The city noted HOME allows a small administrative set-aside (up to 10%), with a 15% CHDO set-aside for development activity.
- Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): staff estimated the 2025 ESG allocation at approximately $667,379. Hannah Jones of the Department of Development said the ESG award is expected to fund emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, and HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) capacity through the Community Shelter Board.
- HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS): a draft budget of about $2.5 million for 2025 to support tenant-based rental assistance, short-term rent/mortgage/utility assistance (STRMU), permanent housing placement and supportive services on a regional basis.

City staff and nonprofit partners described specific projects that appear in the draft annual action plan. Examples with proposed CDBG amounts or program metrics presented at the hearing include:
- Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio: proposed fair-housing program ($200,000) and housing-conditions program ($125,000).
- Habitat for Humanity of Mid-Ohio: continuation of a roof-repair program (proposal to serve about 40 households in 2025; funding amount not specified in the hearing presentation).
- Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio: Rx2Breathe program to purchase controller inhalers and provide pharmacist education ($200,000).
- Mid-Ohio Food Collective: Eastland Prosperity Center, conversion of a former grocery into a service hub; CDBG proposal of $2,000,000.
- Community Development For All People: interior and roof improvements at Parsons Avenue campus ($500,000).
- Maryhaven: parking, walking-path and exterior security improvements at the Allen Creek Drive campus ($300,000).
- Bridgeway Academy: roof replacement to protect students and programming (about $150,000).
- Columbus Early Learning Centers: durable playground turf for multiple sites ($300,000).
- Directives for Youth and Families: HVAC upgrade at Ohio Avenue Youth Center ($400,000).
- Helping Hands Health and Wellness Center (Linden): support for free-care program ($50,000).

Several housing-focused nonprofit presenters emphasized how federal gap-funding complements tax credits and private financing to make affordable housing projects feasible. Brandy Alisa, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Mid-Ohio, described HOME gap financing as critical to closing the difference between construction cost and what low-income buyers can afford. "We couldn't do what we do without these critical funds," Alisa said.

On homelessness, Shannon Isom, president and CEO of the Community Shelter Board, described how the ESG and related funds are used across emergency shelter, rapid rehousing and data systems. "These grant dollars literally change and save people's lives," Isom said, and added that while ESG allocations face pressure as local populations grow, the Community Shelter Board works regionally and competitively to secure additional federal and philanthropic funding.

City staff clarified the next steps: the city published the draft plans on the Grants Management webpage on Oct. 21, will update the draft annual action plan once HUD announces final entitlement allocations (typically in spring), and will submit final plans to HUD after revision. Staff also noted that HUD grant agreements will be provided to the mayor to execute after HUD approval. Legislation to confirm recommended projects discussed at the hearing was scheduled for City Council consideration on Monday, Nov. 25, with the Grants Management office accepting written comments via grantsmgmt@columbus.gov through the public comment deadline referenced at the hearing.

Public commenters included program participants and nonprofit leaders who urged more rental support and neighborhood investments. Two participants from Families Flourish described private rental-support coaching paired with sustained rent subsidies; James McDougall, vice chair of Families Flourish, and Tashayla Oz, a program participant, both advocated use of HUD resources for rent support and for pairing assistance with coaching and other services.

What this means going forward: the draft consolidated plan and annual action plan set priorities and proposed awards, but most figures remain draft until HUD issues final allocation amounts. Staff emphasized that some amounts in the draft will be updated before final submission to HUD and that council action is required to authorize the specific projects and city funding commitments.

The city accepted public comments at the hearing and by email; staff directed questions about the plans to legislative aide JP Dorval (jpdorval@columbus.gov) and the Grants Management inbox (grantsmgmt@columbus.gov).