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Ashland County holds public hearing on $1.7M CDBG‑funded transitional housing project
Summary
Ashland County held the second required public hearing on a CDBG‑COVID award that funds rehabilitation of a hotel into transitional housing. Presenters said the grant totals about $1.7 million; residents pressed for stronger maintenance, landscaping and tenant vetting.
Sheldon Johnson, executive director of the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, presented the second required public hearing about Ashland County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) COVID award for a hotel‑to‑housing rehabilitation project. Johnson said the county’s original award was “about $1,100,000” and that a recent amendment added “a little over 400,000,” bringing the total to roughly $1,700,000. He told the board the contractor expects substantial completion of most work by April 15 and that the grant expires June 15, 2026.
The presentation outlined interior demolition, replacement of plumbing and electrical systems, new connections to the site, poured footings and planned exterior stair additions. Johnson said interior work is roughed in and that remaining tasks include sheetrock, exterior siding and fire‑suppression equipment.
Residents and supervisors used the hearing to press for clarity about who the housing will serve and how the site will be maintained. One supervisor asked whether units are “lower income” housing; a board member described the CDBG‑funded units as “transitional housing for people who are homeless,” and said rent will be subsidized at about $550 per month including utilities. Johnson said he is the grant administrator and referred operational questions—tenant selection, background checks and waitlist procedures—to Millie of Northwest Wisconsin Community Services Agency.
Several speakers raised concerns that the property sits at a visible gateway to the city and urged stricter expectations and code enforcement so the site does not appear neglected. Millie, who joined the meeting by phone, said the two facilities nearby serve different populations: the shelter behind the Mexican restaurant serves crisis needs and can have short stays and spillover, while the CDBG project is intended for longer‑term occupancy with signed leases and income requirements. She said landscaping and a play area are planned as part of the project’s exterior work.
The public hearing remained open for follow‑up questions and will be closed by motion later in the meeting. The county did not take any final action on tenant selection at the hearing; operational and vetting details were referred to the service provider.
