City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Ken Zuidervaart, Planning Director
Date: 03/10/2026
Subject: Community Development Block Grant and Home Programs RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Should the City Council agree with staff’s recommendation, the following motion would be appropriate:
“The City Council approves the recommended 2026-2027 CDBG funding allocation of $78,262 for the Senior Center Interior Rehabilitation Project and $13,811 for the public service programs that requested funding. Additionally, the Council approves the recommended 2026-2027 HOME Program funds of $24,394 to be allocated to the low-income down payment assistance program administered by San Joaquin County. Lastly, staff is directed to process the necessary documentation with San Joaquin County to facilitate the allocation of these funds.” BACKGROUND:
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs.
The CDBG program allocates annual grants to urban counties to develop viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. CDBG funds must be used for activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. In addition, each activity must meet one of the following national objectives for the program: benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or address community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available.
Over the years, the City has had difficulty finding eligible projects to use our CDBG funds because Ripon does not have any eligible census tracts that meet the low- to moderate-income requirements. Therefore, money has largely been used to reconstruct handicap ramps throughout the community, which was an eligible project. Additionally, the Senior Center is a facility in Ripon that is eligible for use of these funds, since seniors automatically qualify under CDBG funding requirements.
DISCUSSION ANALYSIS:
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), administered through the County of San Joaquin, anticipates providing Ripon an estimated $92,073 in CDBG funds and $24,394 in HOME funds for the 2026-2027 funding cycle, which is intended to assist in resolving identified community development needs and housing problems. 2026-27 CDBG Funds
CDBG funds are divided into two categories, 85% of the funds can be used for Public Works Programs (i.e. Public Facilities and Improvements such as infrastructure improvements) and no more than 15% shall be obligated for public service programs serving the needs of low-income families in the community.
For the $92,073 of CDBG funds the City of Ripon is programmed to receive, $78,262 (85%) is proposed to be allocated to phase two of the Senior Center Interior Rehabilitation Project with $73,262 used for the improvements and $5,000 for an administrative allowance for City staff to administer this program.
The project will consist of interior improvements and rehabilitation to include but not be limited to:
Kitchen improvements and upgrades;
Restroom improvements and upgrades;
Flooring replacement;
Other miscellaneous interior improvements to various rooms and hallways to include sheetrock repair, painting, etc.
Exterior painting of the entire facility;
Installation of a bocce ball court on the west side of the facility, to include shade covers and benches.
Phase 1 of the Senior Center Exterior Rehabilitation project is nearing completion. Staff recommends that City Council allocate the remaining $304,934 in unused funds from prior fiscal years, plus the 2026-27 fiscal year CDBG funds of $73,262, to Phase 2, the Interior Rehabilitation project, for a total of $378,196.
For the public service programs portion of the funds (15%), the County of San Joaquin has made some changes to how the CDBG funds are to be dispersed to each of the participating jurisdictions, due to an audit and recommended changes from HUD. Many of the public service agencies provide services to all of the participating jurisdictions throughout the County and ask for funds from each city. Each city was then responsible for managing their own contracts with these jurisdictions, which caused duplicated efforts in each city. One of the significant changes to the program is that now the County will manage these contracts for the public agencies providing services to multiple jurisdictions, eliminating the need for multiple contracts with each agency. The other request from HUD is that contracts entered into with public agencies have a minimum funding of at least $5,000. This eliminates many duplicative man-hours for contracts only worth $1,000 to $1,500 within each of the jurisdictions.
Following are the applications received either by the City of Ripon directly or by San Joaquin County requesting funds for providing services within the City of Ripon. The total funds available for public service programs for the 2026-2027 CDBG funding cycle is $13,811.
Four public service applications were received:
Bethany Home Society is requesting $10,000 to continue the meals on wheels program providing approximately 12,000 fresh meals five days a week to 138 Ripon seniors annually through a congregate setting and delivery to homebound seniors. (Received by the City of Ripon – City of Ripon Contract).
Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/San Joaquin (Mobile Farmers Market) is requesting $1,700 for their Mobile Farmer’s Market program. This program targets two sites in Ripon, the Ripon Senior Center and the Head Start program at Ripona Elementary School. The overall goal of the program is to see a community strengthened by providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy cooking demonstrations, health and nutrition related information/handouts and CalFresh (food stamp) information, all in an effort to encourage healthy eating and prevent/reduce the development of chronic health diseases affecting those most vulnerable in our community. (Received by San Joaquin County on behalf of the City of Ripon – San Joaquin County Contract).
Meals on Wheels is requesting $7,729 for their services offered for Ripon residents. Meals on Wheels provides home delivered nutritious meals and personal contact to homebound seniors within each of the cities in San Joaquin County. In order to be eligible, a person must be both 60 years of age or older and homebound. Those seniors that live alone, are older & frail, are the highest priority for the home delivery service. A spouse under 60 or a disabled dependent adult that resides with an eligible senior and is also homebound is also eligible for the meal service. A 5-pack of frozen meals are delivered to your door weekly, along with fresh milk and fruit. All menus are reviewed by 2 nutritionists to ensure compliance with Federal Guidelines.
Meals are designed to be low fat, low salt, and low sugar. Meals are delivered once a week by 2pm. (Received by San Joaquin County on behalf of the City of Ripon – San Joaquin County Contract).
San Joaquin County Fair Housing is requesting $1,922 for their services offered for Ripon residents. The services that they provide include information on tenants and landlord rights and responsibilities; mediation to individuals as an alternative to resolve housing issues for tenants, property management, and owners; seminars and training which include fair housing laws and basic property management for landlords as well as training for tenants including how to locate rentals, proper notices to landlords, etc.; and Counseling for landlords and tenants to help them better understand their rights and responsibilities concerning rental units. (Received by San Joaquin County on behalf of the City of Ripon – San Joaquin County Contract).
The City of Ripon received requests for providing services in the City of Ripon for $21,351. Again, the total funds available for public service programs for the 2026-2027 CDBG funding cycle is only $13,811, therefore staff is recommending funding all public service programs at approximately 65% of their requested allocations. Please see the 2026-2027 CDBG funding allocation chart below for further clarification.
HOME Grant Funds
HOME funds are allocated to the City of Ripon on a formula basis each year similar to the CDBG funding. For fiscal year 2026-2027 Ripon is expected to receive approximately $24,394 in HOME Funds. HOME funds are to be used for a variety of low-income housing activities such as tenant-based rental assistance, housing rehabilitation, assistance to homebuyers, and new construction of affordable housing.
To date the City of Ripon has mostly allocated the HOME funds to a down payment assistance program that is administered by the County for the City of Ripon. The current balance of HOME Funds held by the County for the City of Ripon is roughly $270,242 not counting the anticipated 2026-2027 HOME fund allocation, which will bring our balance to approximately $294,636. Staff has been working with County Staff to bring forth some potential other uses for these funds, however until such time staff is recommending allocating this year’s HOME funds towards the down payment assistance program administered by the County for Ripon residents.
Below is a chart showing the requested and recommended funding allocations for the 2026-2027 CDBG and HOME fund allocations.
2026-2027 CDBG Fund Allocations
CDBG Projects Requested Recommended
Public Works Program:
Ripon Senior Center Interior Rehab Project $73,262 $73,262 Administration $ 5,000 $ 5,000
Sub-total $78,262 $78,262
Public Service Programs:
Bethany Home Society - Meal on Wheels $10,000 $6,469
S.J. County Fair Housing $1,922 $1,242
Meals on Wheels $7,729 $5,000
Emergency Food Bank - Mobile Farmer’s Market $1,700 $1,100 Sub-total $21,351 $13,811
Total $99,613 $92,073
2026-2027 HOME FUND ALLOCATION
GAP (Down Payment Assistant) Loans $24,394
Attachments:
1. Public Hearing