ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 23, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Hearings TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jennifer M. Byers, Economic and Community Development Director DATE: April 10, 2025
SUBJECT: Public Hearing for Consolidated Plan 2025-2030 and Associated Documents
Public Hearing regarding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Consolidated Plan 2025-2030, Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice 2025-2030, Citizen Participation Plan, and First Year Action Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Consolidated Plan 2025-2030, Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice 2025-2030, Citizen Participation Plan, and 2025-2026 Action Plan.
BACKGROUND:
City of Bakersfield Consolidated Plan 2025-2030
Every five years, the City of Bakersfield is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop a new Consolidated Plan (ConPlan), Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, Citizen Participation Plan, and First Year Action Plan. The ConPlan outlines the use of approximately $6.8 million per year from the following HUD programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). Total funds for all programs over the next five years will be approximately $34.3 million. The ConPlan and associated documents have been included as attachments.
ConPlan Outreach
As part of the community outreach for the ConPlan 2025-30, a comprehensive community engagement strategy was developed to solicit feedback from the full community. City staff shared information about the Consolidated Plan at four community meetings, three public hearings, several stakeholder focus groups, and various community partner meetings. City staff also engaged with community partners to share on their respective listservs, utilized media through press releases, radio interviews, news interviews, and social media postings. A Community Needs Survey was also conducted, and a 30-day comment period was held from March 22nd to April 23, 2025. Community outreach generated consistent themes across community partner focus groups, community meetings, and surveys.
While other needs were identified, the following top three topics were heard at all levels of engagement:
Affordable Housing (e.g., rental housing affordability, first-time homebuyers’ assistance, increased housing costs).
Addressing Homelessness (e.g., homelessness prevention, behavioral health services, and access to housing).
Economic Development (e.g., job training, living wage, and finding/maintain jobs).
2025-30 ConPlan Goals
When combining all community input received as well as analyzing local data and focus group discussions, the following goals were established for the 2025-30 Consolidated Plan:
1. Invest in and preserve the supply of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households, including homeownership opportunities.
2. Prevent and reduce homelessness, including increased support related to mental and behavioral health.
3. Improve community infrastructure and facilities to promote safe and vibrant communities.
4. Foster and improve the quality of life by increasing access to economic development opportunities.
5. Increase vital services for community residents, including but not limited to, those with special needs, such as children and youth, seniors, persons with disabilities, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing
The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) is a complementary document to the Consolidated Plan that analyzes local housing practices and provides action steps to remove or lower barriers to fair housing choice. Fair Housing laws prohibit discrimination in all aspects of housing, including home sales, rentals, housing policies and financing. Each resident is entitled to equal access to housing opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability/medical conditions, familial status, marital status, age, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, source of income, or any other arbitrary reason. This document is a requirement by federal and state law and will be submitted by City staff to HUD along with the Consolidated Plan. A completed draft of the AI has been made available for public review with the Draft 2025-2030 Consolidated Plan.
2025-26 Annual Action Plan
For each year covered under the Consolidated Plan, the City also prepares an Annual Action Plan that describes the projects and activities funded during that fiscal year. These projects and activities are based on the goals identified in the ConPlan. For the First Year Action Plan, covering FY2025-26, the anticipated Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS/HIV (HOPWA) entitlement total is $6,879,590.
On February 10, 2025, the Budget and Finance Committee of the City Council was provided an overview of all funding applications received for the FY2025-26 Action Plan, as well as a list of staff-proposed projects to be funded in the upcoming fiscal year through CDBG, HOME, HOPWA and ESG. The Budget and Finance Committee then forwarded a recommendation to the City Council to fund the attached projects as part of its 2025-26 First Year Action Plan.
Next Steps
This Public Hearing is the final meeting being held before the City Council to consider approval of the 2025-30 ConPlan and associated documents. City staff plans to submit final ConPlan documents to HUD before the deadline of May 14, 2025 (unless updated by HUD).
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Economic Opportunity for All
ATTACHMENTS:
2025-2030 Consolidated Plan
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing
Citizen Participation Plan
2025-26 Action Plan Projects