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Residents press West Memphis for help with long‑term home repairs; city outlines limited funding options
Summary
Multiple residents urged help for roof and foundation repairs for longtime homeowners; city staff said limited Community Development Block Grant funds and program criteria constrain assistance and encouraged residents to work with staff and local churches for other resources.
At a public‑comment segment, residents urged the council to increase help for long‑standing homeowners who need major repairs. Percy Sanders described years of attempts to access programs and said many older houses need work beyond what the city’s limited funds cover.
Mayor McClendon (addressing Mr. Sanders) and staff explained that annual Community Development Block Grant allocations for the city have declined with population and that the planning department typically has roughly $30,000–$40,000 available for housing repairs in a funding round; the mayor said the city typically receives about $250,000 in federal block grant funding overall but only a portion has historically been directed to housing rehabilitation. Staff and councilors suggested churches, nonprofit partners and targeted local donations as supplemental avenues and asked residents to register with planning staff (Miss Felix) so the city can follow up on individual needs.
Speakers also noted barriers to outside assistance: a resident said HUD staff told him they do not work with West Memphis directly and elsewhere he was told proximity to Memphis complicates eligibility for some programs. Council members said they would pursue outreach and explore partnerships, but cautioned that program funding and eligibility criteria limit how many households the city can serve at scale.
