MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Council will make final decisions May 21 on how to spend more than $1 million in combined 2019 Community Development Block Grant funds and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program.
Council’s Public Affairs Committee discussed the allocations of $894,831 in CDBG money and $252,424 in HOME funds during a special meeting on Monday evening, according to Tracy Bond, the city’s community development and housing director.
The CDBG program is one of the longest-running programs of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and provides federal funds with the goals of affordable housing, anti-poverty programs and infrastructure development.
Some of the planned expenses include funds for down payment assistance, a targeted geographic area identified as the St. Peter’s District/OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, targeted code enforcement, neighborhood improvement programs and general housing rehab throughout the city.
Council is also considering funding requests from Richland County Transit Dial-A-Ride, Harmony House Get to Work program, summer interns for the City of Mansfield Parks and Recreation Department, the UMADAOP Student Achievement Leadership Training Summer Program and the Mansfield Metro Housing Authority emergency monthly housing payments.
The HOME program provides formula grants to states and localities that communities use — often in partnership with local nonprofit groups – to fund a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct assistance rental assistance to low-income people.
It is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households.
Bond said the committee also discussed how to use CDBG and HOME funds still remaining from the previous two grant years, though some of the funds are already earmarked for specific home repair projects.
Council meets at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The session will be proceeded by any planned committee meetings and its regular caucus session.
