The county expects to receive roughly $1.3 million in CDBG and $760,000 in HOME dollars for the next round of projects. Eligible projects must be in a geographic area populated by poor to moderate-income residents and benefit that same demographic.
Following a recent public hearing — nobody spoke on the matter — Carpenter said, “I think we miss the intent with this particular fund,”
“If you look at what it’s aimed for, it’s to benefit low and moderate income persons for the prevention or elimination of slums or blight. We put it into public improvement and public infrastructure. Which is an allowable purpose, but it doesn’t get us housing,” she said. “I think if we switched our focus from general, anything that could slide in and fit the definition, to targeting housing when we have such desperate need for affordable housing here, we could make a difference.”
She also said she is “sad to see” the county has spent more on administrative costs than housing help.
According to a new report by the county Development Department, $1 million was spent on administrative fees and $623,554 for housing out of $6.1 million in CDBG funds from 2020 through 2024. The county has received $4.5 million in HOME dollars over the past five years and $296,113 has gone for administration.
The county’s community development department is not supported by the county general fund, they subsist on percentages of the grants they administer.
The report shows the largest cash outlay of HOME funds over the past five years — aside from Middletown’s annual allocation — was $463,680 was for permanent supportive housing for the new YWCA in 2020. Fairfield Twp. was awarded the largest CDBG award of $300,968 for the Pater Road stormwater improvement project in 2023.
Commissioner Don Dixon said they can certainly debate the issue further.
County Administrator Judi Boyko said CDBG monies can be spent on housing, but “it’s a much broader application of the fund.” She defended the development department’s handling of the programs.
“I believe the Community Development Department is really following the board’s strategic plan for this,” she said. “If we need to readdress and reassess that strategic plan, we certainly can do that with the commissioners’ input.”
The county opens up the application process to local governments that don’t manage their own HUD programs and community action agencies like Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) and others.
A committee scores the applications and makes recommendations to the commissioners — which they don’t always follow. Traditionally it was comprised of representatives from the development department, Job and Family Services, the county engineer and Water & Sewer. A couple years ago the county mental health and addiction board, the Butler Educational Services Center and United Way were included.
Carpenter voiced displeasure with the CDBG/HOME program previously because she said the original group “doesn’t represent the communities in the county.”
When the new entities were added, she was not consulted, she said.
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