REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JENNIFER K. CLARK, Director
Planning and Development Department
THROUGH: PHILIP SKEI, Assistant Director
Planning and Development Department
BY: AKIO LOPEZ, Senior Management Analyst
Community Development Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan Including Citizen Participation Plan, 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
1. HEARING to obtain public comments regarding the Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan Including Citizen Participation Plan, Draft 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan, and Draft Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice; and
2. ***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan including Citizen Participation Plan, 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice; authorizing submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for application of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Programs; and authorizing the City Manager to sign all implementing documents required by HUD (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council obtain the views and comments from interested persons regarding the Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan including the Citizen Participation Plan, Draft 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan, and Draft Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice; adopt the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan including the Citizen Participation Plan as the five-year strategy to implement HUD entitlement funding; adopt the 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan as the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 implementation plan for HUD entitlement funding; adopt the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice; and authorize the City Manager to sign all reasonably required implementing documents, instruments, and funding agreements required by HUD as approved to form by the City Attorney.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City staff implemented a comprehensive citizen engagement, analysis, and planning process beginning in October 2024 to develop the strategies and recommended project types for the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan including the Citizen Participation Plan, 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The plans are due to HUD within 60 days following the date allocations are announced. The plans will be deemed approved 45 days after HUD receives them, unless HUD notifies the City before that date that the plans are disapproved. The City will submit the plans as early as feasible following City Council adoption to allow for timely approval at the start of FY26.
BACKGROUND
2025-2029 Consolidated Plan
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires jurisdictions receiving federal entitlement funds through its Community Planning and Development Department to prepare a five-year Consolidated Plan detailing the housing and community development needs of its low- to moderate-income persons. Staff, in partnership with its consultant, undertook a robust public participation process and comprehensive needs assessment with the general public, housing agencies, social service agencies, and government agencies. Community input was analyzed alongside public databases of housing and demographic information, and current plans and studies including the City’s General Plan, the Housing Element, the Greater Fresno Region DRIVE Plan, and the One Fresno Housing Strategy.
The analysis conducted as part of this process in consultation with stakeholders and members of the public was used to develop five-year strategies to address the highest priority needs of low- to moderate-income persons. These strategies will serve as the guide for expending CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA program funds. The 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan includes revisions to the City’s Citizen Participation Plan to make clear the requirements related to any changes in planned funding, ensure the public receives adequate notice regarding plans and reports, and ensure individuals are provided appropriate access and time to review and comment on draft plans and reports.
2025-2026 Annual Action Plan
To qualify for and receive its annual allocation of federal grant funding through HUD’s CDBG, ESG, HOME, and HOPWA programs, the City is required to prepare an Annual Action Plan detailing the projects proposed for funding and the benefits to low- and moderate-income persons. The 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan covers the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, and is the first year of the five-year Consolidated Plan.
As part of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan process, the City conducted community needs meetings, a public needs hearing, stakeholder interviews, pop-up events, and a survey to gather input on the projects and activities to be considered for funding. A full list of the methods to gather input and the number of individuals who participated is included below. Following the community engagement process, staff published a Consolidated Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) on December 16, 2024 based on estimated levels of funding to request applications from qualifying non-profit organizations, units of local government, and City departments for activities that meet the goals of the Consolidated Plan and meet the needs identified by the community under Community Services, Homeless Housing and Services, Infrastructure and Public Facility Improvements, and Owner-Occupied Home Repair. Staff evaluated the applications received by the January 17, 2025, deadline to determine eligibility with the federal funding sources and scored the applications according to the criteria published with the NOFA. The list of applications received, the average score, amount of funds requested, amount of funding recommended, and a brief description of each activity applied for are included as an attachment. The draft funding allocations based on estimates were presented in the Draft 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan for the 30-day public review period from March 3, 2025, to April 3, 2025. Upon HUD’s announcement of PY 2025-2026 allocations, the proposed funding amounts were adjusted accordingly. Public comments received during the public comment period, and those made at the public hearing, along with the City’s response to each, will be included in the final 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan submitted to HUD.
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
As a longstanding requirement of receiving funds under the CDBG, ESG, HOME, and HOPWA programs, the City conducted a Fair Housing Study to certify the City’s commitment to affirmatively further fair housing. The study required by HUD to meet this obligation was the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. Based on the analysis of available demographic, economic, and housing data, and the input received from the community at the various meetings and through the survey, the City identified existing impediments to fair housing choice and recommended actions for addressing those impediments.
Since the City’s process to develop the Analysis of Impediments began, HUD terminated the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule and replaced it with an Interim Final Rule which requires a general commitment that the City will take active steps to promote fair housing. The City remains committed to ensuring fair housing for all residents and continued to develop its updated Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.
Citizen Participation
The City utilized a robust public engagement process to develop the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan, 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The project team used a variety of approaches to achieve meaningful community engagement with residents and other stakeholders, including community workshops, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, pop-up events, and a community-wide survey. The City hosted eight community workshops to understand housing and community development needs and opportunities in the city. Each workshop began with a brief presentation that provided an overview of the Consolidated Plan, the community engagement process, the project website and survey, the project timeline, and the types of analysis to be included in the study. The presentations were followed by interactive discussions of fair housing and access to opportunity. Two workshops were held virtually via Zoom-residents could join online or by phone-and six were held in-person. Spanish and Hmong interpretation was available at all meetings, and all notices and flyers were presented in English, Spanish, and Hmong.
The project team also engaged with stakeholders representing a variety of perspectives including fair housing, affordable housing, community and economic development, neighborhood development, schools and education, youth services, senior services, health and mental health services, homelessness, housing and services for people with disabilities, substance abuse services, refugee and immigrant services, domestic violence services, local government, and others. The in-depth individual and small group discussions discussed topics including barriers to housing and community development needs and opportunities, fair housing, housing discrimination, access to opportunity, and fair housing resources.
In addition to stakeholder interviews, the planning team engaged with residents through focus groups facilitated through CASA of Fresno and Madera Counties, an organization that provides services to children and youth in, and transitioning out of, foster care; County of Fresno Department of Behavioral Health; and Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries (FIRM). Focus groups included an interactive discussion of housing and community development needs, fair housing issues, and access to opportunity.
The project team conducted two pop-up events, one at River Park Farmers Market during a trick-or-treat event, and one at Victory Village, a City-owned emergency shelter, during a cookout, to engage with residents informally in community locations. During these events, the planning team handed out flyers with information about meeting dates to raise awareness of the plan and provided a link to the community survey as well as paper copies of the survey to obtain input from residents who may not be sufficiently tuned into fair housing issues to attend a meeting.
Finally, the fifth method for obtaining input was a 29-question survey available to the general public. Survey questions focused on housing and community development needs and opportunities, fair housing, and access to opportunity. The survey was available online on the project website and in hard copy in English, Spanish, and Hmong from September 2024 through January 2025. Hard copies were distributed in the three languages at in person community meetings, pop-up events, and focus groups.
In total:
• 66 individuals participated in community meetings
• 17 housing and community development stakeholders were engaged in interviews
• 31 individuals participated in focus groups
• More than 100 residents were engaged during the pop-up events
• 237 individuals completed a community needs survey
Advertisement for the various means of participation targeted the general public as well as nonprofits, service providers, housing providers, and others working with low- and moderate-income households and special needs populations. Public notice of community input opportunities was provided through announcements on the City’s website and social media, the project website, newspaper articles and public notices, e-mails to community stakeholders, and door hangers placed at households within one mile of each community meeting location. Stakeholder interview invitations were sent to more than 100 contacts representing a variety of viewpoints, including elected officials and staff, housing developers, nonprofit organizations, homeless housing and service providers, mental health service providers, organizations serving people with disabilities, family and senior services, workforce development organizations, and others. Meeting advertisements noted that accommodations (including translation, interpretation, or accessibility needs) were available if needed; no requests for accommodations were received.
In total:
• 3,809 site visits were recorded for a dedicated project website (https://fresnoconplan.org/)
• 1,779 views were recorded on social media
• 125 interactions (shares, likes, comments) were recorded on social media posts
• 3,000 door hangers were distributed in neighborhoods near meeting sites
• 1,000 flyers were distributed in neighborhoods near meeting sites
• 130 flyers were posted in FAX buses across the City
• 30 yard signs were distributed in neighborhoods near meeting sites
A list of meeting, public review, and key notice dates is provided below. An exhaustive list of promotional and outreach activities is provided in PR-15 of the Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan.
• October 20, 2024 - Notice of upcoming community meetings and planning process published in the Fresno Bee in English and Spanish
• October 21, 2024 - November 5, 2024- Residential canvassing provided by the City utilizing the City’s One Fresno Youth Jobs Corps Program
• October 21, 2024 - Public Notice distributed via email to the City’s listserv (nearly 50,000 people)
• October 23, 2024 - Social Media advertisement of upcoming community meetings
• October 28, 2024 - Community Needs Workshop #1 at Teague Elementary School
• October 29, 2024 - Pop-Up event at River Park Farmer’s Market
• October 29, 2024 - Community Needs Workshop #2 at Pinedale Community Center
• October 30, 2024 - Community Needs Workshop #3 at Legacy Commons
• October 30, 2024 - Pop-Up event at Victory Village cookout
• October 31, 2024 - Social media posts on Facebook and X to promote meetings
• November 1, 2024 - Public Notice published in Community Alliance newspaper in English and Spanish
• November 7, 2024 - Virtual Community Needs Workshop #1
• November 12, 2024 - Community Needs Workshop #4 at Maxie L. Parks Community Center
• November 12, 2024 - Community Needs Workshop #5 at Hanh Phan Tilley Elementary School
• November 13, 2024 - Community Needs Workshop #6 at Legacy Commons
• November 13, 2024 - Pop-Up event at Papa Mike’s Café at Poverello House
• November 19, 2024 - Social Media advertisement of upcoming virtual community meeting
• November 19, 2024 - Virtual Community Needs Workshop #2
• November 22, 2024 - Social Media advertisement of Con Plan survey
• December 1, 2024 - Notice of upcoming public hearing published in the Fresno Bee in English and Spanish
• December 2, 2024 - Public notice of upcoming Public Hearing published in the Community Alliance
• December 12, 2024 - City Council Community Needs Public Hearing
• December 16, 2024 - Consolidated NOFA released
• January 17, 2025 - Applications for funding due
• March 2, 2025 - Public notice of 30-day comment period and upcoming Public Hearings published in the Fresno Bee
• March 3, 2025 - Email blast is sent out to notify community members of 30-day comment period and upcoming Public Hearing
• March 3, 2025 - Social Media announcement made to notify community members of 30-day comment period and upcoming Public Hearing
• March 3, 2025 - Public Comment period begins
• April 3, 2025 - Public Comment period ends
• May 1, 2025 - City Council Public Hearing and consideration
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a project for purposes of CEQA pursuant to CEQA guidelines Section 15378. These plans, strategies and studies are an exempt activity under HUD NEPA Requirements (24 CFR 58.34 (1)).
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable because of the use of federal funding.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice will qualify the City to receive an estimated $60 million of new entitlement funding and entitlement program income over five years, including $12 million in Fiscal Year 2025-2026 pursuant to the adoption of the 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan.
Attachments: Resolution - 2025-2029 Con Plan 2025 AAP and AI
Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan Including 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan
Staff Funding Recommendations
Standard Subrecipient Agreements
Applications for Funding Received
Draft 2025 Citizen Participation Plan
Draft 2025-2029 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
Public Comments and Responses
2025-2029 Con Plan and AI Public Hearing Presentation