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Compton officials propose $7.5 million reallocation of prior-year CDBG and HOME funds to parks, restrooms and housing programs
Summary
City staff recommended reallocating roughly $3.66 million in CDBG funds and about $3.7 million in HOME funds dating from 2018–2024 to ready-to-launch park, restroom, housing-rehab and small-business projects; council and residents debated priorities such as cleanup of a longstanding toxic dump and more money for seniors and first-time homebuyers.
City staff on Tuesday asked the Compton City Council to reallocate about $7.5 million in prior-year Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds toward projects city officials said are ready to launch.
Tramiel Woods, presenting on behalf of the grants office, said the proposal moves $3,664,647.84 in CDBG funds (2019–2024) and roughly $3,705,159 in HOME dollars (2018–2024) into projects that include upgrades at Greenleaf Parkway (exercise equipment and overhead canopies across six sites), restroom and facility facelifts at city hall and four fire stations, façade work at a city-owned building used by a nonprofit and the VFW building, continued housing rehabilitation (a backlog of about 50 eligible applicants) and small-business façade and economic-development grants.
Woods described HOME recommendations that include a two-year tenant-based rental assistance program (TBRA) the city would use to pay three to six months of back rent or utilities for eligible households, with payments made to landlords when rent is covered, and noted that the city must set aside at least 15% of certain HOME funds for a certified Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO).
Residents used the public hearing to press staff on specifics and priorities. Mark Smith asked why the plan did not prioritize cleanup of a long-running illegal-dumping site on the 2700 block of West Alondra; Woods said the site is not "ready to launch," and therefore not recommended for these reimbursement-based HUD funds. Lynn Bloom and other speakers criticized the lack of transparency about why the balances accumulated since 2018 and asked where the prior allocations were recorded in the treasurer’s reports and budget documents.
Council members debated shifting portions of the $781,000 TBRA allocation into the first-time homebuyer program (which in the proposal contained about $195,000), with Councilwoman Darden and others saying the smaller homebuyer figure would have limited impact. Staff clarified a technical difference between fund sources: CDBG can be used to pay for individual repairs such as roofs, while HOME-funded rehab requires addressing all deficiencies that arise when work begins on a residence.
Woods emphasized that HUD funds are reimbursable — not given up front — and that some earlier projects had gone dormant. He also said the city recently awarded $25,000 to United Hands and is exploring business-facade programs that have not yet been implemented.
Council did not adopt final reallocations Tuesday; staff said they would take council direction, revise the reallocation and return with a follow-up presentation.
The hearing provided multiple suggestions about park maintenance, restroom repairs and senior services; Woods said the grants department will work with Public Works and HR on implementation timelines if council directs reallocations.
What's next: Staff will revise the reallocation based on council feedback and return to the council for further action and formal approval.
