Human Services Committee approves $220,000 in CDBG awards; rejects larger Boys & Girls Club increase

The Human Services Committee on Sept. 24 approved staff recommendations allocating $220,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to local social-service providers, after a two-hour review of requests that totaled about $774,000.

The committee’s approval follows a staff update from Joseph Fest, director of economic development, who told members he had received an email from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) saying evaluations are in progress and that the signed grant agreement should arrive toward October, allowing the city to implement the awards. “We should expect our signed grant agreement, sometime, towards the October to allow us to move forward with this year's plan,” Fest said.

Why it mattered: demand far outstripped supply. Fest said applicants requested roughly $774,000 while the city’s CDBG allotment for social services totals $220,000, forcing staff and the committee to prioritize among many programs. The staff recommendation preserved most prior-year awards and funded a mix of youth, senior and basic-needs programs.

What…