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City staff recommend publishing draft FY2027 CDBG action plan, emphasize rising home-repair demand
Summary
City staff presented a draft FY2027 Community Development Block Grant plan and asked council to publish it for a 30‑day public comment period. Staff emphasized the home repair program’s growing demand (about 60 households served in FY24, about 109 in 2025) and recommended a similar allocation approach to last year pending HUD’s final numbers.
City staff presented the draft fiscal year 2027 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan and asked the Springfield City Council to authorize publication of the draft for a 30‑day public comment period ahead of a public hearing by the council’s Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) in April.
“I'm here tonight with the draft fiscal year, 2027 community development block grant, CDBG annual action plan. I'm looking for your direction tonight to publish a draft for public comment,” the presenter said. The presenter was addressed in the meeting as Erin; the transcript does not provide a last name.
Staff explained Springfield is entitled to an annual HUD CDBG allocation used primarily to benefit low- and moderate-income households, and noted that the packet includes six strategic goals from the 2025–2030 consolidated plan that guide funding decisions across CDBG and HOME programs. Staff recommended a draft allocation similar to last year’s distribution given limited funds expected and current demand.
On program trends, staff said the city has run a home repair program for many years and that demand and costs have increased. “In fiscal year 24, the city served about 60 individual households with the home repair program. In 2025, we served a 109,” staff said, attributing the increase to higher material and labor costs and greater demand.
Staff also described intergovernmental funding for human services: the city has historically set aside a portion of CDBG to support the Human Services Commission (a regional body with Eugene and Lane County). For the current fiscal year staff said roughly 15% of the city’s allocation was directed to that commission’s priorities and that about $94,000 is going to Catholic Community Services’ Springfield Community Service Center to help low-income Springfield residents with basic needs.
Regarding the Springfield homeownership program (referred to as SHOP), staff explained the program formerly used HOME funds and since regulatory changes was funded with CDBG; rising home prices and program design (including a 50% buyer contribution requirement for down-payment assistance) have limited the program’s ability to close affordability gaps with available CDBG amounts. Staff described other housing strategies the city uses, including development-code updates, ADU fee waivers, property tax exemptions for low-income rental housing, SDC waivers, ARPA-funded land acquisition, and temporary sanctioning of RV sheltering on private property under municipal rules.
Staff recommended the council direct staff to publish the draft plan for a 30‑day public comment period, have CDAC hold a public hearing in April and forward a recommendation, and then return to council during regular session for final adoption after HUD issues the final allocation numbers. The presenter noted that HUD’s contract timing has at times delayed reimbursement and that staff paused portions of spending in a recent year while waiting for HUD paperwork.
Council signaled concurrence with putting the draft out for comment; staff will return with CDAC’s recommendation and the final numbers from HUD for a subsequent council decision.
