Pasco outlines 2025 CDBG and HOME funding priorities focused on housing and economic development

City staff presented recommended allocations for the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Work Plan and the Tri-Cities HOME program at the Sept. 23 workshop.

Kristen Webb, the city’s CDBG administrator, described the CDBG program’s national objectives—decent housing, improved living conditions and expanded economic opportunity for low- and moderate-income households—and summarized recent program activity: roughly $954,000 distributed to 18 applicants for housing rehabilitation over four years, $375,000 to 28 applicants for public-service activities over five years and about $1.4 million to 25 applicants for economic development over four years.

Webb said staff aligned the 2025 scoring criteria with council goals and the Tri-Cities consolidated plan. Planning Commission reviewed applications and recommended an annual work plan that emphasized housing and economic development projects. Webb also explained the city’s prior use of CDBG funds to service a Section 108 loan for a revitalization project (a $3.7 million loan with roughly $250,000 annual repayment) and answered council questions about program administration (the program is currently allocating about 19% of funds to administration, under the federal 20% cap).

On HOME funds, Webb said Pasco’s 2025 entitlement (including program income) is estimated at $216,000 and recommended allocations of $98,000 for owner-occupied rehabilitation, $98,000 for tenant-based rental assistance (administered through the Tri-Cities consortium) and $10,000 for administration. She noted an owner-occupied rehab completed at about $62,000 and several down-payment and rental-assistance examples used to explain impact.

Ending: Council received the presentations and staff said the recommendations will be forwarded through the normal planning and approval steps for inclusion in the 2025 annual action plan; no final appropriation vote occurred during the workshop.