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Adelanto council approves CDBG plan after debate over who should get scarce program dollars
Summary
The Adelanto City Council adopted its FY25-26 Community Development Block Grant plan Dec. 11, approving a capital allocation for Balfour Park and splitting limited public-service dollars among local nonprofits after heated discussion about documentation, nonprofit presence in the city and contingency conditions for groups with unresolved IRS status.
The Adelanto City Council voted Dec. 11 to adopt a draft Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) plan for fiscal year 2025-26 that sets an estimated allocation at $301,189 and directs most capital funding to a park project while splitting a limited public-service pool among local nonprofit providers.
Council staff told the council that the city's estimated CDBG allocation is $301,189, a $22,050 drop from the prior year, and that staff recommended a capital allocation of $256,011 for construction of Balfour Park plus smaller public-service awards for several nonprofits. City staff said there is $77,632.65 in prior-year unspent CDBG funds that could be applied to the park, bringing the potential total for that capital project to $333,643.65. Virginia in the Community Development and Housing Department told the council the draft plan must also respect HUD rules limiting public-service expenditures to 15% of the annual allocation (about $45,178).
The central debate at the meeting focused on how to distribute the roughly $45,000 public-service pool. Several council members pushed for prioritizing organizations that show an ongoing presence and verifiable services in Adelanto rather than dividing the money equally among applicants. "I don't think that taking the amount and just blindly dividing it equally among all the different applicants is wise," one council member said, adding elected officials need to see demonstrated, regular service to city residents before awarding funds.
Carmen of the High Desert Outreach Center described weekly food distributions, intake forms used to track Adelanto residents and partnerships that sustain the program. "We deliver the food where it's needed," Carmen said, outlining a long-running local operation that includes USDA distributions and deliveries to mobile home parks.
ClearPath Foundation presented plans for a transitional housing and recuperative-care site on a 4-acre parcel in Adelanto. "We're looking to build a community there," Caden Young, ClearPath's CFO, said, describing a model that currently operates two facilities in the High Desert with roughly 40 beds and a full waiting list. Some council members expressed support for the project in principle but said they were reluctant to award significant CDBG money to an organization that is not yet operating inside the city.
The council also considered an applicant, the Adelanto Community Resource Center (ACRC), whose chair, Malva J. Davis, submitted a written statement explaining that the nonprofit's IRS EIN status is under review. Council members agreed the city could reserve ACRC's award on a contingency that the IRS reinstates the group's nonprofit status and that the group show regular meetings and reporting.
After discussion, the council approved a motion to allocate the public-service funds across local providers (the motion included a larger share to the High Desert Outreach Center to reflect its demonstrated presence in the city, smaller awards to ClearPath and to Community Health Action Network (CHAN), and to reserve or reprogram any remaining funds for capital projects if needed). The motion passed on a roll-call vote.
The council directed staff to incorporate the allocations into the city's action plan and to require quarterly reports or other documentation from funded nonprofits showing how CDBG funds are used for Adelanto residents. Staff warned that HUD expects timely spending of CDBG funds and that the city should identify and budget for capital projects in the next action plan so prior-year balances do not remain unspent.
The council's adoption of the CDBG plan moves the item forward for incorporation into the city's action plan and HUD reporting; several council members said they expect follow-up meetings with nonprofit providers to clarify deliverables and reporting requirements.
The council approved the consent calendar earlier in the meeting and recognized outgoing Councilwoman Joy Janette with certificates before opening the public hearing. The council adjourned after confirming another meeting later that night at 6 p.m.
