City of Oxnard staff recommend HUD-funded allocations and ask council to approve FY 2026–27 action plan

Lorraine Mendez, grants manager for the City of Oxnard, told the Community Services, Public Safety, and Housing and Development Committee that staff recommend the city adopt the FY 2026–27 Annual Action Plan (AAP) and Citizen Participation Plan (CPP) and forward them to the City Council for a public hearing and action.

Mendez said the AAP allocates anticipated federal entitlement grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME). “The city is expected to receive approximately $2,074,781 in CDBG funding,” she said. Staff recommended allocating $414,956 of that for program administration and applying the 15% public-services cap, which limits public-services spending to just over $311,217.

The staff report showed 22 applications were received and 10 were recommended for funding. In CDBG public services, staff recommended five awards, including $45,000 for Palm Vista Senior Center; $146,000 for the Recreation Youth Services Program at Oxnard PAL, Southwinds Center and Colonia Gym; $50,000 to the Oxnard Housing Authority for Senior Support Services; $35,000 to Shelter Care Resources for basic needs assistance; and $35,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

For CDBG public improvements and other programs, requests totaled about $2.39 million compared with roughly $1.79 million available. Staff recommended four projects: Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County Home Repair ($100,000); Oxnard Housing Authority D Street Apartments rehabilitation ($320,000); Oxnard Public Works’ Hobson Park East neighborhood street resurfacing and ADA improvements ($24,510.31); and Oxnard Public Works’ Cal Gisler neighborhood street resurfacing and ADA improvements ($1,350,000).

Mendez summarized ESG recommendations and caps: the city is expected to receive about $184,400 in ESG funds, with $13,830 for administration and a 60% cap that limits street outreach and emergency shelter operations to $110,640; $59,930 remained for homeless prevention and rapid rehousing. Staff recommended funding Turning Point Foundation’s street outreach and shelter operations request with $81,237 in ESG and a partial CDBG award of $29,403, yielding a combined recommended award to Turning Point Foundation of $110,640. Two other applications for homeless prevention/rapid rehousing (totaling $102,730) were not recommended; staff said those funds will be held for a second solicitation.

On HOME funds, Mendez said the city expects approximately $599,010.76, with $59,901.08 for administration. Combined with $1,446,538.38 in carryover, staff reported $1,985,648.06 would be available for future affordable housing development. The presentation noted staff did not solicit HOME applications for this cycle and will hold the balance for future projects.

Mendez also described statutory and regulatory context, citing 24 CFR part 91.105 and the five-year consolidated plan adopted May 6, 2025. She noted the first public hearing occurred Jan. 15, 2026, and that the AAP and CPP were posted for a 30-day public review from April 4 through May 5, 2026; a second public hearing is scheduled at the City Council meeting on May 5, 2026.

Staff recommended the committee ask the City Council to conduct the May 5 public hearing and approve the FY 2026–27 AAP and CPP for submission to HUD; authorize the city manager or designee to incorporate final grant allocations and approve corresponding budget appropriations and make future budgetary adjustments within staff authority; and authorize the city manager or designee to execute HUD agreements, certifications and related implementation documents, including subrecipient agreements.

The committee presentation closed with no vote recorded in the transcript; the item was presented as a staff recommendation to be forwarded to the City Council for action at the scheduled public hearing.