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IURA staff outlines CDBG 'workout' plan, proposes projects for reprogramming including homeless-services options
Summary
Agency staff told the committee it is behind target on CDBG spend-down and proposed a workout plan that prioritizes projects ready to expend funds before HUD timeliness deadlines; candidates include a Southside Community Center fire-panel replacement, Cleveland Avenue housing shortfalls, Cass Park restroom/pavilion overrun, and a concept for transient shelter or bathroom units.
Agency staff presented a CDBG timeliness 'workout' plan on Nov. 18 to reduce the amount of unexpended Community Development Block Grant money and avoid HUD penalties.
Nels said the agency set an internal goal of spending about $75,000 per month to meet timeliness thresholds but that October expenditures were about $61,000. He told the committee some projects are physically complete but not yet vouched — notably sidewalk work on Cecil Malone and Cherry Street the agency estimates at about $230,000 — which should help but leave the agency short of its target.
Staff identified roughly $230,000 that could be reallocated from projects that have declined or cannot proceed and suggested a short list of candidate replacements: Southside Community Center fire-panel replacement (~$70,000), Cleveland Avenue affordable housing gap (~$50,000), and possible support for Cass Park restroom/pavilion, which came in about $243,000 over budget. Staff also described a homeless-services-enhancement concept that could include purchase of ready-made tiny shelters (~$25,000 each) or bathroom units (~$55,000 each) as either freestanding procurements or part of a larger project; staff warned that expenditure of funds is faster than demonstrating public benefit and that site selection and political consensus are required to avoid CDBG ineligibility.
Committee members asked whether money could instead subsidize existing Code Blue services; staff replied Code Blue has a roughly $2,000,000 state allocation to the county and is planned to open at 227 Cherry Street next Monday, though some people may still be excluded from access to that facility. No formal action was taken; staff sought committee input on prioritization before bringing specific reprogramming resolutions forward.
Next steps: staff will continue to prioritize projects that can both expend funds and meet public-benefit requirements before the HUD timeliness deadline and will prepare any required public-notice materials if reprogramming exceeds thresholds.
