Lewisville City Council holds public hearing for Community Development Block Grant

The Lewisville City Council held a public hearing for the draft Community Development Block Grant during its July 18 meeting.

The council is required to hold a public hearing before the approval of the 2022-26 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development for the Community Development Block Grant program. The strategic planning document is due to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development every three to five years.

The CDBG program provides annual grants to states, cities and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons, according to HUD.

The CDBG draft budget, which allocates funds to various eligible projects, is identified in the city’s Annual Action Plan. This year’s CDBG allocation from HUD will be $783,866.

A series of public feedback opportunities via survey, meetings and public hearings took place before the council meeting. The city plans to use public input to put forth a plan on how to spend the funds.

Katie Clifford, senior director of strategic development for Communities In Schools of North Texas, expressed support of the CDBG plan on behalf of the nonprofit.

“Over my past five years in this role, I've gotten to see the very strategic distribution of funds that is truly based on community needs here in Lewisville,” she said. “We urge the council to continue to prioritize funds for youth mental health, funds designated to address the needs of our Latinx and Chin communities, funds that specifically address the needs of our low-income and home-insecure families including transportation.”

Final approval of the plan will take place Aug. 1.

To learn more about the plan, click here.