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Lacey to use first-year CDBG entitlement funds for park accessibility and senior‑center improvements
Summary
City staff told the Lacey council the newly independent CDBG entitlement has yielded $348,333 for the program year; staff recommended Hunter Moore Park ADA sidewalk repairs and expansion of the Virgil Clarkson Senior Center accessibility and parking as primary projects, plus an administrative allocation and contingency.
Lacey staff told the City Council on March 10 that the city’s transition to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant entitlement recipient is complete and that the city has received $348,333 to spend this program year. Michelle Chavez, the city’s human services coordinator, said the funds must be used within federal CDBG rules, typically favoring capital projects that provide area benefit to neighborhoods with 51% or more low‑income residents.
Chavez said staff and the Human Services Commission recommend two primary projects in the initial action plan year: ADA sidewalk and accessibility improvements at Hunter Moore Park and parking/accessibility upgrades at the Virgil Clarkson Senior Center. The administration line item for program management was listed at $34,008.39, and HUD recommended identifying a contingency project in case scheduling or procurement problems affect the first‑choice project.
Why it matters: CDBG funds are restricted and carry rigorous reporting and public‑engagement requirements; entitlement status gives Lacey an annual allocation instead of receiving consortium funds every three years. Chavez said the city will phase small in‑house projects first to build administrative capacity before expanding to subrecipient contracts.
Councilors asked about administrative percentages, how CDBG complements the city’s human services grant program and what happens if projects run under or over budget; staff said CDBG project dollars can be carried forward across program years if work spans multiple years but significant plan changes would require renewed public engagement.
Next steps: Staff recommended Hunter Moore Park as the primary project with the Virgil Clarkson Senior Center as the contingency and will bring the formal action ordinance and plans back to council for adoption and to satisfy federal reporting timelines.
