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Palm Beach County reviews $9.3 million HUD plan, debates administrative costs after Pahokee city manager details rehousing of 40 families
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Summary
County staff presented the HUD FY2026-27 annual action plan outlining roughly $6.5M in CDBG, $2.2M in HOME and $580K in ESG funds and proposed distributions; commissioners pressed staff on 20% admin charges and asked whether long‑time technical assistance providers should be competitively procured. Pahokees new city manager described rehousing of 40 displaced families and promised a two‑week action plan.
County staff on Thursday used a workshop to ask the Board of County Commissioners for direction on the draft HUD annual action plan for fiscal year 2026–27, laying out proposed uses for community development block grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding and prompting questions about administrative costs and procurement.
Jonathan Brown, deputy county administrator, told the board that HUDs preliminary allocations for the three programs total about $9,315,000: "in our community development block grant program, we will receive approximately 6,500,000, which is roughly a $68,000 decrease from the previous year," and that HOME funding is approximately $2,200,000 with a slight decrease while ESG is roughly $580,000, a two percent increase. Brown said allocations reflect HUDs guidance and may change before final submission.
Axel Miranda, the countys housing and economic development director, outlined the departments recommended distribution: public services at 15% (per CDBG rules), about 12% for economic development activities, roughly 17% allocated to participating municipalities (including a rotating "Special Area of Hope" allocation proposed this year for the Town of Lantana), and about 30% for county capital projects in unincorporated areas. Miranda noted municipalities have requested using CDBG dollars for code enforcement and that "depending on the board direction, the city may not receive those dollars for code enforcement."
The presentation prompted several commissioners to press staff on program administration and procurement. Commissioner Weiss said she was concerned the administration line looked high and asked whether the county could reduce administrative fees. Commissioner Weiss asked whether staff could cut administrative costs "in half," and Miranda and Brown replied that HUD allows up to 20% for administrative costs and that unused admin dollars are typically rolled into programmatic uses the following year. Brown said the department could pursue a competitive solicitation for technical assistance providers if the board directs it, but added that an RFP likely would not complete before the July deadline and would require amending the action plan afterward.
Commissioner Flores and others asked specifically about two long‑time technical assistance providers, Inclusify and the TED Center, and whether awards to those organizations were the result of competitive processes. Miranda said those providers have been funded for years and that the department can issue an RFP "based on the board's direction." Commissioner Flores asked for reporting on provider outcomes and administrative fees so the board can assess impact.
The board also heard from Brenda Bryant, the new city manager of Pahokee, who gave a prepared statement on the property at 169 Adams Place (the Parker Building) and the displacement of 40 residents. "From the outset, I want to be unequivocally that the city of Pahokee is treating this matter with the highest level of urgency, accountability, and intention," Bryant said, and added that "within the next 2 weeks, the city will present not only a history of actions taken, but also an action plan." She said the city is pursuing stronger enforcement and coordination with Palm Beach County and will use available legal remedies against the property owner "to the extent permitted by law."
Staff told the board they will return with a final draft action plan on July 7 and reminded commissioners the County must submit the plan to HUD by Aug. 15. The presentation also summarized this year's competitive public‑service notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), which produced 20 applications competing for roughly $245,000 in the public‑services pot; Legal Aid and Vida Nova ranked among the top scorers in the department's selection process.
Whats next: staff will bring a final action plan and a finance analysis to the July 7 meeting and, if the board directs, pursue competitive procurement for technical assistance providers and return with any necessary amendments to HUD.
