Commission reviews nearly $89,000 in ARPA funds for commercial rehab, sets June application timeline

City staff told the Crescent City Commission on April 9 that the city's SLFRF/ARPA compliance report shows roughly $88,000–$89,000 remaining under the economic development rehabilitation project. Staff said the balance resulted after other ARPA projects closed and that three previously purchased fire hydrants remained to be installed; once those items are accounted for, remaining monies would be available for commercial property rehabilitation to stimulate small-business development.

Staff recommended using existing CRA application processes (applications due June 1) to identify shovel‑ready projects and said that, if CRA applications do not fully obligate the remaining funds, staff would propose using the ARPA remainder to fill gaps. Commissioners expressed concern about avoiding favoritism when allocating funds and pressed for a competitive, transparent selection process; staff said final reporting to the federal program can reassign categories before submission and that the city will bring proposals to commission workshops in June.

Commissioners discussed scheduling multiple budget workshops and a special meeting to evaluate applications and obligate funds before the federal spending deadline of Dec. 31, 2026. Staff agreed to return with recommended projects and a timeline; applications and deadlines discussed at the meeting included a June 1 submission deadline for CRA applications and a proposal to hold workshops on June 12 and June 18, with the commission also open to a short special meeting in late May if necessary to meet federal timelines.

Next steps: staff will accept CRA applications through June 1, present recommended projects at the June workshops and prepare documentation needed to obligate funds by the federal deadline. Commissioners asked staff to ensure procurement fairness and to structure selection criteria so ready‑to‑build projects receive priority.