Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee- Part 2, October 23, 2026

Cleveland City Council’s Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee continued its October 23, 2026 CDBG budget hearings, focusing on home-repair programs and community development corporation (CDC) funding. Staff reported that 375 homes received assistance through home-repair programs in 2025 and that an implementation-vendor approach completed 71 units across four programs in the past year, while acknowledging contractor shortages, lengthy processing times, and a stopped intake for the senior homeowner assistance program. Members requested a breakdown of 2025 home repairs by ward, repair category, and cost, as well as carryover figures for the Repair a Home and SHAP programs. Discussion also covered HUD income limits and the need to assess whether existing eligibility rules and program structures reach residents effectively; no contract award or vote was recorded.

Staff said 15 CDCs are slated to receive about $7.35 million in 2026 CDBG funding and described a possible future funding swap that could replace some CDBG support with general-fund dollars. The committee discussed developing a more proactive allocation process, potentially using RFPs and performance criteria, while preserving council’s role in directing neighborhood funds and complying with procurement requirements. The department said it supplemented funding for six CDCs facing shortfalls and is considering standardized processes and more project-specific plans; these changes remain under discussion, with no final decision or spending action taken. Other follow-ups included providing information on eligible CDBG uses and environmental-review staffing and turnaround.