Adams County moves to amend 2025 HUD action plan to fund Northland park and affordable housing gap

Adams County commissioners on Thursday agreed to move forward with substantial amendments to the county's 2025 Annual Action Plan for HUD entitlement programs, directing staff to open a 30‑day public comment period and bring a public hearing before submitting changes to HUD.

County housing staff presented two primary changes that prompted the amendment. The first would reallocate CDBG funds to Odell Berry Park in Northland, a shovel‑ready, 3.5‑acre park the city has supported with a formal resolution. Rick, the county housing presenter, said the site will include ADA‑accessible, nature‑based play areas, water‑tolerant landscaping and a community focus; the city of Northland indicated it will dedicate its full local allocation to the park. The staff memo said the reallocation also addresses a compliance risk caused by historically slow spending under Northland's minor home repair allocation.

The second amendment would allocate HOME consortium funds to help bridge financing gaps for the Blossom Commons (Blossom Columns) project and another request from Maker Housing Partners (Verbena, formerly Uplands Apartments). Rick told the board that Blossom Commons will draw $207,000 from Westminster's HOME set‑aside and $192,000 from Adams County HOME funds because the site sits near the county line and will serve residents in both Jefferson and Adams counties. For Verbena — a proposed 70‑unit affordable development at 88th and Federal Boulevard — staff said NSP‑eligible funds would fill a financing gap: the project proposes 30–60% AMI units, 10 units reserved for households with IDD and a 7,300‑square‑foot community service space intended for Head Start.

Commissioners pressed staff about enforceable conditions to preserve ground‑floor commercial or community uses. One commissioner cited past projects where promised retail or community space did not materialize as part of the county's contribution. Staff noted that HOME regulatory affordability requirements (including 20‑year affordability covenants and periodic monitoring) apply to HOME‑funded units, and said contractual agreements will be with the developer; staff pledged to document commitments and pursue contract provisions where legally permissible. The board did not attach project‑specific conditions during the meeting; several commissioners requested staff return with suggested contractual language and monitoring approaches.

"We will do a 30‑day public comment period and with a public hearing giving folks an opportunity to comment. We'll submit to HUD and then move forward with agreements," a county presenter said after commissioners signaled support for moving ahead.

Next steps: staff will publish the public comment notice, hold a hearing, incorporate public feedback as required, and submit the amended action plan and agreements to HUD. Projects will proceed to contract negotiations following HUD approval.