FAMILY & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: May 11, 2026
Subject: FY 2026/27 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding Recommendations - Public Service (PS) Category & Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
Submitted For: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development
Department: Department of Conservation and Development
Referral No: #20
Referral Name: Community Development Block Grant Public Service Recommendations
Presenter: Gabriel Lemus, Deputy Director
Contact: Jason Chan, (925) 655-2050
Referral History:
On February 11, 1997, the Board of Supervisors referred to the Family and Human Services Committee (FHS) the subject of the Public Service (PS) portion of the Community Services Block Grant (CDBG) Program. Therefore, the Department of Conservation and Development reports to FHS at least annually regarding recommendations for the Public Services category and Emergency Solutions Grant funding allocations.
The purpose of this update is to transmit staff recommendations for funding in the PS category of the FY 2026/27 CDBG Program and for the FY 2026/27 ESG Program. Spreadsheets, summarizing staff’s recommendations and staff’s analysis/evaluation, are attached for both the PS and ESG program categories.
In October 2013, the Board approved having two separate and distinct funding cycles for the non-housing categories of the CDBG Program and for the ESG Program to align with the five-year period of the CDBG/ESG Consolidated Plan. The first cycle is a two-year funding cycle (FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27) for programs/projects in the CDBG PS, economic development (ED), and infrastructure/public facilities (IPF) categories and for the ESG Program. The second cycle is a three-year funding cycle (FY 2027/28, FY 2028/29, and FY 2029/30) to conclude the final three years of a five-year Consolidated Plan period.
Consequently, in June 2025, the Board approved the allocation of FY 2025/26 and FY 2026/27 CDBG funds for the PS and ESG categories. The allocation of FY 2026/27 CDBG funds for the PS and ESG categories was contingent on the availability of funds and the satisfactory accomplishment of contract goals.
Referral Update:
The County, as an entitlement jurisdiction, receives an annual allocation of CDBG funds directly from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD has a formula for the CDBG program to determine the amount of CDBG funds that an entitlement jurisdiction will receive for the program year. On April 3, 2026, HUD announced the FY2026/27 CDBG Program entitlement allocations to all CDBG entitlement jurisdictions. The County’s FY 2026/27 CDBG entitlement amount is $4,724,092, which is approximately $3,065 less than the County received for this current program year (FY 2025/26).
On November 14, 2014, the Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted funding guidelines for the allocation of CDBG funds that require the County’s annual grant be allocated to the following CDBG eligible categories:
|
Category of Use |
Allocation Guidelines CDBG Program |
Available Funding |
|
Affordable Housing |
45% |
$2,125,841 |
|
Public Services |
*17% |
$ 803,096 |
|
Economic Development |
10% |
$ 472,409 |
|
Infrastructure/Public Facility |
8% |
$ 377,927 |
|
Administration |
20% |
$ 944,818 |
|
Total FY 2026/27 CDBG Grant |
$4,724,092 |
*As long as the amount does not go over HUD’s statutory cap for Public Services
CDBG Program - Public Service Category: Consistent with Board funding guidelines, 17 percent of the County’s annual CDBG allocation may be used for PS projects. Therefore, $803,096 is available to PS projects from the annual allocation. In addition, there is $13,404 available from completed projects. Lastly, $40,000 is to be provided from the “Affordable Housing” category to help fund fair housing services. Consequently, a total of $856,500 is available for PS projects. A total of 38 renewal applications were received, requesting a total of $1,164,560. Staff recommends that all 38 programs be funded at the amount received in the prior year (FY 2025/26), totaling $856,500. The summary of the public service recommendations is listed in Attachment A-1. Also included as an attachment is staff’s analysis/evaluation and recommendation table (Attachment A-2) to provide more information and details about each application.
ESG Program: The County also receives ESG funds, on an entitlement formula basis, for the provision of essential services for the unhoused; emergency shelter operations and related services; homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing activities. The County will receive a total of $415,467 in ESG funding for FY 2026/27, approximately $9,870 more than the County received in FY 2025/26. Seven and a half percent (7.5%) of the grant will be used for administration expenses, resulting in a total of $384,307 available for projects.
A total of 6 renewal applications were received, requesting a total of $387,747 in ESG program funds. Staff recommend that all six programs be funded at the amount received in the prior year (FY 2025/26), totaling $384,307. The summary of recommendations for the use of ESG funds is listed in Attachment B-1. Also included as an attachment is staff’s analysis/evaluation and recommendation table (Attachment B-2) to provide more information and details about each application.
Application Process and Evaluation Criteria:
PS & ESG Categories: Each applicant was required to submit an abbreviated renewal application describing the proposed project, need, target population, steps necessary to carry out the project, and proposed FY 2026/27 budget. This information was used to evaluate an agency’s continuing capacity and ability to operate its program during the upcoming fiscal year.
Staff’s funding recommendations for FY 2026/27 for PS project are listed in Attachment A-1, and ESG projects in Attachment B-1. The attached staff analysis/evaluation and recommendation table (Attachment A-2 for PS and Attachment B-2 for ESG) provide additional details on the individual projects and information on an agency’s experience and capacity.
Public Hearing and Transmittal of Recommendations: The Committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors prior to the public meeting that is scheduled for May 19, 2026. Final recommendations must be forwarded to HUD by June 3, 2026, for review to ensure consistency with federal regulations.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
1. APPROVE recommendations for FY 2026/27 CDBG Public Service (PS) projects as recommended by staff and/or amended by the Committee.
2. APPROVE recommendations for FY 2026/27 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) projects as recommended by staff and/or amended by the Committee.
3. DIRECT the Department of Conservation and Development to prepare a staff report on the Committee’s recommendations. The staff report will be submitted together with funding recommendations for all other CDBG categories and considered by the Board of Supervisors on May 19, 2026, as a “Consent” item.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
See referral update.