Title
a. Hold a workshop on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment
Partnership Act (HOME) application rating and ranking criteria; and
b. Provide directions to staff.
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Urban County Standing Committee:
a. Hold a workshop on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment
Partnership Act (HOME) application rating and ranking criteria; and
b. Provide directions to staff.
SUMMARY:
During the Urban County Committee’s September 24, 2026, meeting the Committee directed staff to work with the County’s Homeless Services Coordinator to explore ways to more closely align CDBG funding with the County’s strategic plan. The goal of this workshop is to solicit input from the Committee and broader community about how staff believe the application can be modified for the 2026-27 program to better meet the County’s strategic goals and many community development and public service needs.
DISCUSSION:
The County is in the middle of selecting a new Grant Management System (GMS). The GMS is the public facing system we use to accept applications, reporting, and draw requests from the community. Because of where the County is in this process and when the County needs to issue the 2026-27 applications, it is difficult to make substantial changes to the application currently. The hope is that the new GMS will provide greater flexibility in the design and configuration of the CDBG/HOME application year to year.
Committee staff met with the County’s Homeless Services Coordinator to explore ways that the CDBG and HOME application could be modified to better align with County goals addressing the unhoused. Recognizing the broad nature of the County’s strategic goals and historical funding staff is recommending that for 2026-27, the application only be modified to ask if the application supports efforts to help the unhoused and award 5 bonus points to applications that do so.
The alternative consideration would be to provide policy directions to change funding amounts. Historically, the County has attempted to provide a minimum grant of $25,000 for as many public service applications as possible. The Committee and Board of Supervisors may wish to increase the minimum grant or award more to projects that address the needs of the unhoused.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT/COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
None.
HOUSING IMPACTS:
___Reduces constraints on Housing Development
___Increases constraints on Housing Development
_X_Neutral
___Not applicable [N/A]
.
QUALITATIVE SUMMARY of potential impacts of the policy/program on Housing:
Conducting the workshop will not have any direct impact on housing. Depending on the directions received, the County could do more to focus its limited CDBG resources on supporting affordable housing.
HOUSING CONSTRAINTS:
Conducting this workshop will not be a constraint on the development of housing.
FINANCING:
There is no impact on the General or Inclusionary Housing Funds by conducting this workshop. For 2026-27, the CDBG program will have approximately $1,346,000, of which $200,000 will be available for public service activities.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Plan Goals:
____ Well-Being and Quality of Life
____ Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future
____ Safe and Resilient Communities
____ Diverse and Thriving Economy
____ Dynamic Organization and Employer of Choice
If does not fall under any of the above Board of Supervisors Strategic Plan Goals (Other):
_X__ Administrative
Link to the Strategic Plan:
<https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/home/showdocument?id=139569>
Prepared by: Darby Marshall, Housing Program Manager, 831.755-5391
Approved by: Craig Spencer, Director of Housing and Community Development, x