SEAGO urges listing colonias and SSP options; explains eligibility rules and competition

SEAGO representative William Osborne explained eligibility and competition considerations for colonias and state special projects during the CDBG hearing.

Osborne said Arizona has 68 qualifying colonias and the SEAGO region accounts for 37 of them, and he explained that colonias grants — which prioritize potable water, sewage, housing rehabilitation and stormwater — are competitive and require completed designs and environmental review at the time of application. He also described the State Special Projects (SSP) fund as an annual competitive source that communities often use to fund planning and engineering work that makes later implementation applications more competitive.

Osborne and staff urged the council to list colonias and SSP project ideas in the official record so the town preserves each option for future applications. SEAGO also recommended considering leverage (USDA, WIFA and other funds) to improve competitiveness for infrastructure projects.