On Tuesday, city leaders approved the first reading to an ordinance of the Fiscal Year 2025 and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Program Year 2024 Annual Action Plan. Under that action plan , the city will receive $4,738,857 to help with local housing, homeless and community development needs.
Seven city council members supported the ordinance. Councilman Gil Hernandez voted against it, while Councilman Roland Barrera recused from voting at all.
“We get an annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds, HOME Investment Partnerships funds and Emergency Solutions Grant funds," Jennifer Buxton, Assistant Director of Planning and Community Development said.
Under each grant within the action plan, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) budget will receive $3,135,388, the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) budget will receive $234,083, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) budget will receive $1,369,386.
As a HUD entitlement community, the city is required to create a five-year plan to outline goals for progression of the city. That is how it receives the federal funding.
In the city's plans, the Community Development Block Grant will help improve projects like the HEB Tennis Complex and Pool parking lot, Housing Repair and Rehabilitation , Homebuyer Program and Builder Program .
Buxton also explained that the other funds will go towards improvements to youth centers neighborhood facilities and park and recreation improvements.
“The Salvation Army is getting funding to put a fence around their facility that will make that location a little safer for the children that they serve," Buxton said."The city is investing CDBG funds into Code Enforcement and some neighborhood clean up activities that will go along with that Code Enforcement.”
In addition, other funding will be used to help increase and maintain affordable housing. The former Lamar Elementary School is one of the projects that will help meet that need for families.
The remainder of the nearly $5 million budget will be used to help the homeless.
“Funds for that are going to the Corpus Christi Hope House and the Salvation Army," Buxton said. "They’re going to provide services like essential services, emergency shelter, rapid rehousing and homeless prevention.”
The city of Corpus Christi is currently in its second year of incorporating its five-year plan.
Another vote on the Annual Action Plan ordinance will be during Tuesday's city council meeting. If it passes, the city will receive the funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by November.
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