LIMA — The Lima Economic Development Committee held a public hearing Monday to discuss which projects should qualify for Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds, the first of three public hearings planned after requests for CDBG funding exceeded available funds by $2.7 million.
Lima is in the third year of its five-year consolidated plan for the federal housing grants, which fund a variety of affordable housing and community development projects.
The CDBG program is the more flexible of the two, allowing the city to dedicate a portion of its funding toward public service projects like youth internships or soccer academies, while HOME funds are exclusively for affordable housing.
Lima received 19 CDBG applications totaling $4.2 million, exceeding available funding by $2.7 million. That means Lima Council will ultimately have to reject or reduce funding requests.
One project that didn’t make the cut in a proposed funding plan presented Monday was Daddys at Work, a nonprofit working with single fathers to find work, pay child support and navigate custody hearings so more fathers are involved in their children’s lives.
The group’s request for $80,000 was not included in the funding proposal due to confusion over how the funds would be spent, although councilors expressed a willingness to consider other ways to support it.
Youth for Change, an arts and leadership program, could see its funding reduced too. The proposed funding plan suggested allocating $5,000 to the program this year, far below Youth for Change’s $30,000 request.
Organizer Vickie Shurelds estimated an average of 30 students participate in the group’s summits, which aim to inspire students to find a place in the community through the arts.
“All of us keep thinking about: How are we going to pull these kids in?” Shurelds said on Monday. “How are we going to make them part of our community? … We let them say what is it that you want to learn about?”
There was less stress over HOME funds, as the city only received six applications. Those applications exceeded available funding by about $46,000, although leftover funds may allow the city to fund all six projects in full or in part.
Monday’s hearing was the first of three public hearings planned before the Lima Council will finalize its CDBG and HOME fund allocations in July. The next hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, June 27 in council chambers.
