City prepares to submit HUD grant applications

The city of Springfield plans to apply for roughly $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant funding and just over $1 million in Home Investment Partnerships Program funding for fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1.

Both programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to a city news release, the Springfield 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan draft is available for public review and comment until 5 p.m. May 30. The action plan is based on the city’s consolidated plan for 2025-29, now in its second year.

The consolidated plan is created with feedback from the public and from agencies that serve people of low to moderate incomes and those living in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, as well as people living in slum and blighted areas, minorities, people with limited English proficiency, people with disabilities or HIV/AIDS, homeless people and those who live in public and assisted living developments, according to the action plan.

With a June 2 submission deadline, Springfield City Council unanimously approved a bill authorizing the applications at its May 4 meeting. The grants are for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Home funds are used for affordable rental housing rehabilitation and affordable new infill rental housing construction, according to the staff report presented by Bob Jones, grants administrator for the city.

The action plan outlines its objectives, which are, in part, to address housing affordability, homeownership, homeless assistance and diversion, public services, business assistance and job creation.

The action plan states the city intends to address those needs through homeowner rehabilitation projects, homebuyer assistance, assistance in the creation or rehabilitation of rental units for affordable housing and assistance to homeless persons. The municipality also plans to provide assistance to prevent homelessness. The plan calls for the city to assist public service agencies, commercial entities and microenterprise business owners to retain or create new jobs.

The action plan notes that the city will rely in part on nonprofit partners and the business community to achieve its goals.

The action plan lists 32 agencies that participated in it, among them social service agencies, businesses and economic development organizations. Some of the agencies listed were Community Partnership of the Ozarks, Council of Churches of the Ozarks, The Kitchen Inc., Ozarks Food Harvest, Boys and Girls Club of Springfield, Drew Lewis Foundation Inc., Ozarks Area Community Action Corp., City Utilities of Springfield Economic Development Division, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and United Way Ozarks Region.

In his report to council, Jones offered eight-year averages in annual funding history for the two HUD grants, with CDBG averaging $1.5 million and Home averaging $1.1 million. He also spelled out goals of the two federal programs. For CDBG, the goal is economic opportunity in viable urban communities, and for Home, it is affordable housing.

Jones listed 12 nonprofit agencies to be funded through the CDBG grant as Safe to Sleep and Good Samaritan Boys Ranch, $14,800 each; Youth Connect Center, $11,500; CASA Clubhouse, Weekend Backpack Program, Rare Breed Youth Outreach Center, Shelter Diversion, Forensic Interview Services, Emergency Shelter Case Management Program and Empowering Youth, $11,500 each; and Academic Support Program and Youth Mentoring: Lunch Buddy Program, $8,220 each. With income included from each program, the total amount is $209,160.

He also outlined the city’s loan portfolio, which he said brings in more than $2.5 million in an average year, money that is refocused on HUD-eligible uses.

Current outstanding loans total $49.7 million, Jones said, with 55.9% from Home funds and 21.7% from CDBG residential funds.

In the last three fiscal years, the city has closed on 108 housing development loans that are HUD-limited to low-income households. These totaled $9.8 million, including rental development, downpayment assistance and homeowner emergency loan programs.

“If alternate funding sources are identified, our trained staff could expand the reach to include workforce housing,” Jones said.

He also outlined six applicants since 2022 that received $2.6 million in city funds for the low-income housing tax credit. They are Maplewood Villas 1 and 2, Nordic Landing, Sankofa and The Springs.

“These six projects add 175 rental units,” he said.

Jones also outlined $700,000 in business loans offered in the last three fiscal years through the programs that created 70 full-time equivalency jobs.

“These loans facilitate economic expansion through microenterprise and business incentive loans to fund such costs as the acquisition of supplies, furnishings and working capital that enable small businesses to create jobs for low- to moderate-income residents and generate sales tax revenue,” he said.

He also explained the CDBG Homeowner Emergency Loan Program to support neighborhood stability and homeowner quality of life. Partner agencies help with repairs of roofs and gutters, accessible bathrooms, doors and windows, as well as electrical and energy-efficiency upgrades.

“These repairs stabilize key parts of the home and help homeowners age in place and encourages long-term ownership,” he said.

He said the loans are forgivable if the homeowner resides on the premises for a decade. The program has a waiting list of 49 applicants.

Hard copies of the draft action plan may be obtained at any of the branches of the Springfield-Greene County Library located within the city limits of Springfield and in the City's Planning and Development Department, 840 N. Boonville, 2nd floor. Written comments may be sent to rjones@springfieldmo.gov.