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The city of Allen is planning to use over $400,000 in federal grant funds to support its home repair program and a local nonprofit.
Allen City Council approved its 2026-27 annual action plan for the Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, program at a July 28 meeting.
The big picture
The city is expecting to receive $468,647 in CDBG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for fiscal year 2026-27, said Assistant Director of Community Enhancement Erin Jones.
“CDBG funds are federal grant funds that come down to us and then we are tasked with implementing them,” Jones said. “These are not general fund dollars.”
Of the total $468,647:
A closer look
Allen is anticipating slightly less in CDBG funds than the previous fiscal year, per Jones’ presentation.
“That shouldn’t be viewed necessarily as a negative thing,” Jones said. “We are what’s called an ‘entitlement community,’ so we don’t apply directly for these funds. HUD makes that determination based on our population and demographics. So likely what this means is some other cities met the population threshold and the money had to be spread a little thinner this year than it had in the past.”
The home repair funds help city staff prioritize urgent repairs, such as a home having no air conditioning in the summer, Jones said. Home repair funds can also be used for accessibility improvements and exterior repairs, she said.
In addition to the $335,647, program staff are carrying forward $275,000, which brings the total available home repair program funds for FY 2026-27 to $610,647, Jones said.
All $70,000 allocated to public service will go toward local nonprofit All Community Outreach, Jones said. ACO provides individuals with food assistance, rent and utility payments, education and more, per its website.
Of the $63,000 budgeted for program administration, $13,000 will be spent on:
The remaining $50,000 will go toward considering ways to be more efficient with grant money, Jones said. This could include hiring an additional team member, but Community Enhancement staff are going to explore all other options first, said Director of Community Enhancement Lee Battle.
Looking ahead
City staff expect to receive funds when the new program year begins Oct. 1, Jones said.
