Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City manager: nearly 900 apply for CDBG senior rehab program as officials warn funds won’t cover demand
Summary
City Manager Sharon D. Subedain told the council the federally funded senior rehabilitation program drew almost 900 pre‑applications and will be processed first‑come, first‑qualified; she said the city has limited CDBG funds and staff will use the application data to pursue additional grants.
City Manager Sharon D. Subedain told the City of South Fulton Council on July 14 that the city has received “almost 900 applicants” for a Community Development Block Grant‑funded senior home rehabilitation program and that staff will process applicants on a first‑come, first‑qualified basis.
Subedain said the program is federally funded and the city has allocated roughly $700,000 (described in the manager's report as “over 700,000 of our CDBG allocated to this program”), which she said will not meet the full level of need. “There’s only so much money, but there’s an incredible amount of need,” Subedain said.
Council members asked staff for follow‑up reports. Councilwoman Natasha Williams Brown requested a future briefing on the city’s recent business amnesty program and specifically asked staff to report how many businesses were brought into compliance and how the city plans to address roughly 8,000 businesses still out of compliance. Subedain agreed to produce that report.
Council members also asked about how district event budgets and carryforwards were calculated. Subedain and finance staff clarified that the standard events allocation per district is $20,000 and explained carryforward balances for several districts; they said no council district had exceeded its $20,000 allocation for events.
Why it matters: The high number of applicants signals a substantial demand for home‑repair assistance among older residents that the city cannot meet with current CDBG allocations alone. Subedain said the pre‑application process intentionally limits the initial screening to basic eligibility (name, address, household size and age) to avoid collecting full documentation until funds are confirmed and the first cohort is identified.
What’s next: Subedain and staff will return to council with additional reporting on the business amnesty outcomes and with program updates as the senior rehabilitation intake moves from pre‑screen to full application and verification.
