North Las Vegas advisory panel approves CDBG and ESG funding plans, reallocates Lighthouse Charitie s award

The North Las Vegas Citizen Advisory Committee approved staff recommendations on Feb. 3, 2026, to finalize Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) awards for program year 2026, including the reallocation of funds formerly assigned to Lighthouse Charities.

Committee staff member Janie Christenson presented mid-cycle spending reports and told the panel that ‘‘the agencies that are listed in green have not reached their 50% spend rate’’ as of December billing, prompting follow-up letters and requests for spending plans. Christenson said turnover at several partner organizations — including the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club — has contributed to slower drawdown of awarded funds and that she will perform follow-up site visits in February for several newer grantees.

The committee discussed reallocation options after staff said roughly $44,000 became available from Lighthouse Charities when it declined or was deemed jurisdictionally ineligible to spend funds on North Las Vegas residents. Members debated whether to preserve a full award for a program capped at $12,000 (Iron Sharpens Iron) and recommended directing additional dollars to agencies with higher spending performance, naming Baby’s Bounty, Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army and Volunteers in Medicine as leading candidates.

Member Corey moved to accept the spreadsheet allocations as the committee’s recommendation to the City Council; Member May seconded. The motion passed by voice vote. Committee members on the record who indicated assent included Jeff Alpert and Joe Cato (participating by phone); the meeting minutes record the motion as approved.

On the ESG side, staff noted that one recipient had a slow start because the City’s agreement arrived later in the cycle; Christenson said the program will receive a new agreement and staff are working to avoid future delays tied to federal timing and internal finance-system updates. The committee voted to forward the ESG recommendations unchanged to the City Council by voice vote.

Christenson closed the staff portion by outlining plans for the next grant application cycle: the city expects to start a fall solicitation for CDBG public-service and ESG funding, will attempt to limit meeting frequency to needed sessions, and may repeat the two-meeting split public-hearing format and the bus tour used in the recent cycle.

The committee opened two public-forum periods during the meeting; no members of the public signed up to speak. With no further business, the chair closed the public forum and adjourned the meeting.

What’s next: The committee’s funding recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration. Staff will follow up with underperforming subrecipients and complete planned site visits and updated budgets when HUD releases final allocations.