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Council adopts changes to 'Dreams' neighborhood funding: Dreams 2 set at $850,000 annually; Dreams 3 refocused
Summary
The governing body approved citizen-advisory-council recommendations to discontinue Dreams 1 in 2027, set Dreams 2 at $850,000 annually, refocus Dreams 3 to $60,000 in HUD CDBG community-building grants, broaden housing rehab eligibility, and pilot $350,000 for lighting in two higher-crime neighborhoods.
The Topeka governing body voted 9-0 on March 17 to adopt a set of refinements to the city’s Dreams neighborhood funding programs recommended by the Citizen Advisory Council and presented by Bianca Burnett, community programs administrator.
Burnett said the 2026 CIP already reflected general policy direction, and the CAC recommended clarifications for 2027 funding: discontinue Dreams 1 beginning in 2027, convert Dreams 2 to an annual $850,000 flexible fund for multiple neighborhoods, and reconfigure Dreams 3 as a HUD CDBG-funded community-building program capped at about $60,000 per year with grants ranging from $1,000 to $30,000 focused on engagement rather than infrastructure. Housing rehabilitation will no longer be tied to a single neighborhood; qualifying residents citywide may apply.
The CAC also recommended a pilot within Dreams 2 to allocate up to $350,000 in total — up to $175,000 per neighborhood — for mid-block lighting improvements in two neighborhoods with higher nighttime crime rates; the pilot would use standard application procedures and be evaluated for effectiveness before any broader rollout.
Council Member Hiller moved approval; Council Member Bradbury seconded. The clerk recorded nine yes votes and the motion carried.
Why it matters: The changes shift City resources toward more frequent, flexible funding across neighborhoods and emphasize participation and safety projects rather than neighborhood-specific infrastructure spending.
