Kenosha committee approves recommended 2026 CDBG allocations, reallocates remaining balance

The City of Kenosha Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) committee approved recommendations for the 2026 CDBG program at a meeting where members distributed limited federal funds among public-service providers, housing programs and neighborhood improvement projects.

Committee members emphasized that all awards depend on the final federal allocation and that not every applicant received the full amount they requested. The committee moved through the public-service portion first, approving awards by voice votes and occasional roll-call procedures until the public-service balance reached zero.

Public-service recipients included Dream Studios Lab and Academy ($18,000); Kenosha YMCAFrank Elementary Achievers ($36,748 final allocation after a later adjustment); Shalom CenterCommunity Health Homeless Diversion ($21,000); Women and ChildrenHorizons (building/parking improvements and earlier program allocation totaling $20,000 and an $18,000 parking-lot allocation in a later action); United Way Kenosha County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) ($18,000); ELCA Outreach Center legal advice services ($13,000); Housing Resources homebuyer education and counseling ($14,500); Kenosha Literacy CouncilLiteracy for Life ($12,000); and the Kenosha Welcome Center and Racine Kenosha Community Action Agency (no funds recorded in committee action). Several motions passed by voice vote; a limited number of items were handled by roll call and one motion (the initial Dream Studios allocation attempt) recorded a 3-to-2 result in the transcript.

On housing, neighborhood improvement and economic-development items, the committee approved a required Section 108 loan repayment of $340,000. A separate motion to allocate $200,000 for street improvements was proposed and seconded but failed after multiple members voiced opposition. The committee later allocated the remaining balance ($166,076) to street improvements as part of subsequent reallocations so that the overall package reconciled to zero remaining for the grant program.

Other approved neighborhood/economic items included a $40,000 placeholder for Kenosha Safety Fund repairs, $25,000 for Paving for Hope, $75,000 recommended for the Wisconsin Womens Business Initiative Corporation and an $18,000 allocation for Women and Childrens Horizons parking-lot paving. The committee also approved $204,331 for City of Kenosha planning and administration related to the CDBG program.

After completing allocations across public-service and housing/economic categories, the committee voted to recommend the full 2026 CDBG allocation package to the city finance department for the next step in the citys administrative process.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Fund Dream Studios Lab and Academy $18,000 — outcome: approved (recorded as 3 yes, 2 no on the transcript and carried). Action id: action_dream_studios_18000. - Motion: Fund Women and Childrens Horizons (program/allocation) $20,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_wch_20000. - Motion: Fund Shalom Center $21,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_shalom_21000. - Motion: Fund Kenosha YMCA Frank Elementary Achievers $25,000 (later increased) — outcome: initial $25,000 approved; committee later added remaining $11,748 to bring the final allocation to $36,748. Action ids: action_frank_25000, action_frank_final_36748. - Motion: Fund United Way VITA $18,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_unitedway_18000. - Motion: Fund Housing Resources homebuyer education $14,500 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_housingresources_14500. - Motion: Fund ELCA Outreach Center legal advice services $13,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_elca_13000. - Motion: Fund Kenosha Literacy Council $12,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_literacy_12000. - Motion: Attempt to fund Boys and Girls Club $11,748 — outcome: failed for lack of a second. Action id: action_bgc_attempt_11748_failed. - Motion: Approve public-service allocations as recommended — outcome: approved. Action id: action_approve_public_service_section. - Motion: Section 108 loan repayment $340,000 — outcome: approved (noted as a required amount). Action id: action_section108_340000. - Motion: Street improvements $200,000 — outcome: failed. Action id: action_streets_200000_failed. - Motion: Kenosha Safety Fund repairs placeholder $40,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_safetyfund_40000. - Motion: Paving for Hope $25,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_paving_25000. - Motion: Women and Childrens Horizons parking-lot paving $18,000 (amended from $15,000) — outcome: approved. Action id: action_wch_parking_18000. - Motion: Wisconsin Womens Business Initiative Corporation $75,000 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_wwbic_75000. - Motion: Allocate remaining $166,076 to street improvements — outcome: approved; transcript shows final reconciliation to $0 remaining. Action id: action_streets_remaining_166076. - Motion: Approve Housing/Neighborhood/Economic Development allocations — outcome: approved. Action id: action_approve_housing_section. - Motion: City of Kenosha planning & administration $204,331 — outcome: approved. Action id: action_planning_204331. - Motion: Recommend 2026 CDBG allocations to finance — outcome: approved. Action id: action_recommend_to_finance.

Context and next steps

Committee members repeatedly reminded applicants that final awards depend on the citys federal CDBG allocation. Members thanked applicants and staff for their work; several members noted the difficulty of choosing among competing but worthy requests and encouraged applicants to seek partnerships and avoid unnecessary program duplication in future cycles. The committees recommendation will move to the finance department for further processing, and all funding remains contingent on the federal award and any subsequent city approvals.