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Speakers propose housing and blight‑abatement options; council warned about limits on using CDBG for private property
Summary
Public comment included calls for more low‑income housing and for addressing derelict private properties; SEAGO and staff explained owner‑occupied rehabilitation and slum/blight criteria and cautioned about using CDBG dollars to directly benefit private owners or cover foreclosure costs without clear public purpose.
Several speakers and councilmembers raised housing and property‑condition concerns during the CDBG hearing. Julian Barclay and others suggested encouraging low‑income rental development to attract residents, while SEAGO staff said owner‑occupied housing rehabilitation can qualify for Colonias or CDBG funding if eligible households are identified and income screening is in place.
Staff and SEAGO warned that CDBG cannot be used to give a private owner a windfall; projects aimed only at improving private property generally require a clear public purpose (e.g., slum and blight elimination) and must meet statutory definitions. Manager Suzanne Harvey described existing liens and past abatements and said abatement followed by foreclosure and town acquisition is legally possible but requires careful legal and fiscal review. Council directed staff to include housing and blight concerns in the candidate project list for further analysis.
