Tacoma 2012-2013 Housing and Community Development Action Plan

At this week’s study session, the City Council will hear a presentation from Community and Economic Development and Human Rights and Human Services staff on the 2012-2013 Annual Housing and Community Development Action Plan, with recommendations for how Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnership, and Emergency Shelter Grant funds should be used.

The commissions responsible have received and reviewed applications for funding, and have forwarded their respective recommendations. CDBG and HOME funds are down significantly over the previous two years, and the recommendations reflect that decrease. Funding recommendations for most previously funded programs is at decreased levels, and few programs received the full amount requested. Some currently funded programs were not renewed for the next funding cycle. Many of the funding cuts eliminated redundancies in services or staff-intensive programs. The few new programs recommended for funding were linked directly to City priorities.

Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority recommendations include Associated Ministries’ Paint Tacoma Beautiful; Metropolitan Development Council’s Entrepreneurial Assistance, Minor Home Repair, and Emergency Minor Home Repair programs; and the William M. Factory Small Business Incubator. Human Services Commission recommendations allocated funds to meet Council-adopted strategic priorities of housing stabilization, economic stabilization, and youth emergency stabilization services.

The finalized recommendations are expected to be published April 1, with a 30 day public comment period to follow, ending on April 30. Details on the recommendations, including program information and funding levels, are available as an attachment to last week’s City Manager’s Report.