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Housing rehab, ARPA projects and electric buses highlighted in budget workshop
Summary
Staff reported the Dream housing program will fund dozens of homeowner and buyer projects in 2026 with an added $425,000 commitment and reviewed ARPA-funded home repairs; staff also said electric buses launched successfully under a federal grant and proposed a 4¢ transit levy increase to 95¢ to leverage additional FTA funding.
Speakers described ongoing neighborhood and program-level investments during the FY2027 workshop. Speaker 3 said the Dream program has entered its seventh round, with roughly 41 projects expected in 2026 and about $5,000,000 in homebuyer and homeowner improvements to date; the council had expanded geographic eligibility and committed an additional $425,000 for 2026.
Staff also summarized other ARPA-funded initiatives (Dream Plus and Extreme Dream) and said the city is in the final calendar year for ARPA obligations. The Total Wellness Center demolition is underway with a planned Q3 opening for clinic services once a provider is secured.
On transit, Speaker 3 said electric buses began service in November after a federal grant and have met initial performance expectations (drivers report 13-hour shifts without recharge). Speaker 4 proposed increasing the transit levy by 4¢ to 95¢ (the statutory maximum for that levy) and said becoming a large reporter with the Federal Transit Administration could yield up to $200,000 in additional grant funding for transit operations.
