Consultant tells Adelanto council housing element progress, water and wastewater plans are readying grant applications

Dr. Gil K. Nunn, the housing and economic development consultant, told the council the city has worked on the 6th‑cycle housing element since August 2022 and has received eight rounds of feedback from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). "Updating our housing element is essential for meeting the fundamental needs of our community," Dr. Gil said.

He said Adelanto is pursuing a pro‑housing designation administered by HCD that would make the city more competitive for infrastructure funding and scoring in grant programs. Linked to that work are water and sewer master plans: Dr. Gil said the water plan had been sent to staff for review and the first sewer master plan draft would arrive that evening. He described the master plans as critical to state and federal grant eligibility because many funders require engineering plans before awarding construction funds.

Dr. Gil outlined current funding efforts: the city submitted multiple earmark requests for 2025 (including an $8 million ask for water/wastewater work and several $3 million requests for system upgrades and hydrogen pilot projects), and the city leveraged an $800,000 EPA award for tertiary treatment with the federal government waiving the city’s usual 20% cost share. He estimated current wastewater improvements at approximately $2 million to extend capacity for five to seven years and said larger upgrades could range from $10 million to $30 million in future phases.

Councilmembers praised the update and asked about timelines; Dr. Gil estimated 3–6 months for near‑term steps toward certification and said staff would return with recommendations and necessary resolutions once certification is achieved.

What happens next: staff will review the master‑plan drafts, continue grant and earmark work, and return to the council with proposed resolutions and a timetable for next phases.