Madison Heights council authorizes CDBG program year 2026 application; staff warns county cap limits public-service funding

Madison Heights City Council voted to authorize the city's program year 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to Oakland County for inclusion in the county's annual action plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

City staff recommended three project areas for funding: code enforcement (about $103,000 proposed to cover the salary and related expenses for a code enforcement officer working in the CDBG-qualified area), minor home repair, and a public-service line to support a senior seasonal yard-cleanup program. "It is salaries for the code enforcement officer...and the expenses that go with that person," staff said, noting benefits, vehicle and fuel costs are included in the line item.

During the public hearing, representatives from Meals on Wheels urged the council to consider CDBG support for their senior meal deliveries. Candy Hobarter, who said her organization serves Madison Heights seniors and provided recent service statistics to council, asked for assistance: "We served about 20,500 meals...we feed them anyway. We just need some help," she said.

Staff cautioned that Oakland County caps public-service programs at 15% of the total subrecipient allocation; the city is already at that cap for public services. "If council were to decide to give money to the Western Oakland County Meals on Wheels as just requested, you would actually have to take it from the public services senior seasonal yard cleanup line," staff said.

Councilor Robock moved to authorize submission of the program year 2026 CDBG application and to authorize the mayor to execute resulting documents and contracts; the motion passed on a voice vote. Staff will proceed with the submission to Oakland County and, if funded, will bring any necessary intergovernmental agreements and grant documents back to council for execution.