Committee hears overview of mayor's proposed CDBG budget; Marino Park accessibility project added

City housing and planning officials presented the mayor's proposed FY2026'2027 Community Development Block Grant budget to the Committee on Urban Development Renewable Planning North on March 27, 2026, laying out program priorities, funding totals and the committee's next steps.

Emily Friedman, director in the Division of Community Development, said the proposal is the second investment under the 2025'2029 consolidated plan and was informed by community engagement, market analysis and a fair-housing review. "We released a NOA or a notice of funding availability in February where we received almost 100 worthwhile proposals," Friedman said, noting total requests ran about $17.5 million with roughly $12.5 million specifically seeking CDBG funds.

Friedman and Alyssa McDermott, director of housing and community development, described the city's selection priorities as sustaining basic urgent needs and ready-to-proceed projects. "The mayor and staff identified for funding those services and activities which ensure basic urgent needs like food and child care, homelessness prevention and response and refugee services are able to sustain their operations and baseline service delivery," Friedman said. Staff…