Carlsbad council adopts $535,326 CDBG annual action plan to fund housing, services and infrastructure

The Carlsbad City Council on April 28 adopted the fiscal year 20262027 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan and authorized staff to submit the city's application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Nicole Piano Jones, senior program manager for housing and homeless services, told the council the city will receive $535,326 in CDBG entitlement funds for the coming year. "For this upcoming fiscal year, as I mentioned, we have an award amount of 535,326," she said, outlining required caps and program categories.

Under the plan, public service activities are capped at 15% of the grant ($80,298), administration and fair housing are capped at 20% ($107,065), and the remainder—$347,326—is available for housing and infrastructure projects. Jones said the funds serve low-income households and communities and that the city's consolidated plan priorities (affordable housing, homelessness, fair housing, planning/administration, supportive services, facilities/infrastructure) guide allocations.

The council opened and closed the public hearing with no public testimony during the notice period, then moved to adopt the resolution. The vote was recorded as passing unanimously.

Why it matters: CDBG funds are federal entitlement dollars intended to assist low-income residents. The adopted allocations will fund homelessness prevention programs, fair housing services, administrative costs required by HUD, and capital activities supporting affordable housing.

Next steps: Staff will submit the adopted annual action plan to HUD by the statutory deadline in June and implement the funded activities in the coming fiscal year.