Hope Council seeks $27,850 from CDBG to repair parking lots used by nearly 3,000 annual clients

The Hope Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse asked the CDBG advisory committee for $27,850 toward resurfacing and safety improvements to both front and rear parking lots at its facility.

"This project is not just about pavement, it's about barriers," Executive Director Michelle Sandberg said, describing a rear lot she called an "underground pool" when it fills with water and loose concrete fragments that have been used as projectiles. Sandberg said the facility serves nearly 3,000 people annually, including a public health vending machine that distributed more than 1,100 items last year.

Sandberg said the total project cost is just over $62,000 and that the Hope Council has secured portions of the funding but needs $27,850 to complete the job. The proposed scope includes milling and resurfacing, concrete repair, drainage correction, re-striping, walkway restoration and installation of bollards and wheel stops to protect the building and improve ADA access.

She explained the request comes amid substantial federal grant cuts that reduced the organization's typical $650,000'$700,000 annual budget by about $160,000 in recent reductions. Because the condition of the lots presents immediate safety and liability concerns, Sandberg said the organization will proceed with repairs in the spring whether or not CDBG funds cover the full cost.

Committee members asked which lot to prioritize if partial funding were awarded; Sandberg said the front lot serves clients directly and would be prioritized, but that separating the project into two separate jobs would nearly double costs. She told the committee that any partial award would be helpful and that the organization would pursue loans or additional fundraising if needed.

No formal vote was taken; the committee will make allocation decisions at a follow-up meeting.