The Cheyenne Finance Committee on Jan. 6 recommended that the City Council adopt amendments to the 2025–2027 consolidated plan and the 2025 annual action plan, a package prepared by the City’s Housing and Community Development Office that repurposes returned Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to address identified community needs.

Amy Gorby, community development manager and the city’s grant manager for CDBG, said the amendments reallocate unused funds to already funded activities, increase some award amounts, and add a food program because of additional available funds. She described CDBG as a HUD entitlement grant and said the city is required to sign an SF‑424 form for HUD reporting. Gorby also said recent federal funding disruptions reduced access to the regional HUD representative and that new HUD requirements and executive orders had created uncertainty about subrecipient eligibility, which led the city to lose some subrecipients.

Dan Doris, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County, spoke in support and gave a recent example of CDBG funding used to purchase and rehabilitate a vacant house that allowed a single mother and child to move in just before the holidays.

Councilman Esquivel moved to adopt the amended consolidated plan and action plan; Councilman Wolf seconded. During discussion Esquivel emphasized the distinction between "affordable housing" and "low‑income housing," and Councilman Moody said he would vote no because an acquisition in the amendment is associated with a private‑equity firm. The committee recorded two affirmatives and one negative and recommended adoption for the Monday Council meeting.

The committee invited public attendance at the advisory council meeting for CDBG matters and otherwise had substantive questions about HUD reporting and program administration. The amended plans will be set for public comment and public hearings as required by the amendment process.