NEW ROCHELLE, NY (July 6, 2025) — The agenda for the July 8 meeting of the New Rochelle City Council includes among the proposed legislation an ordinance from adopting amendments to the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) Annual Action Plan, along with associated budget amendments.
A detailed analysis of the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) Annual Action Plan for New Rochelle by Grok AI reveals strategic adjustments to funding allocations and project priorities. The proposed CDBG budget, revised to $1,385,726.00 from a 2024 final adopted amount of $1,447,546.00, reflects a net decrease of $61,820.00, with significant increases in infrastructure projects like the New Rochelle Transit Center Redesign ($500,000.00) offset by major cuts such as Sustainability ($270,000.00 reduction). Conversely, the HOME budget saw a modest decline from $447,423.24 to $446,045.84, a decrease of $1,377.40, driven by reductions in Tenant Based Rental Assistance ($832.47) and CHDO funding ($206.61), with a slight uptick in administrative salaries. The City Council reviewed adjustments to funding allocations and project priorities.
A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, to gather citizen input on the proposed amendments.
New Rochelle is designated as an entitlement community under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, receiving annual allocations from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for CDBG and HOME programs.
The amended 2025 CDBG and HOME Annual Action Plan, including revised funding allocations and priorities, will be adopted and filed with the City Clerk’s Office. The City Manager is authorized to execute and submit necessary documentation to HUD to effectuate the amendments.
Budget Details:
• CDBG Budget: The 2024 final adopted budget was $1,445,452, with the 2025 adopted budget at $1,447,540 and the proposed revised budget at $1,375,728, reflecting a difference of -$71,812.
• HOME Budget: The 2024 final adopted budget was $447,423, with the 2025 adopted budget at $447,423 and the proposed revised budget at $446,045, showing a difference of -$1,378.
• Allocations: Funds are categorized into Public Service Programs, Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements, Economic Development, and Administration & Planning, with specific projects and amounts detailed in the attachments (Item 3525).
The amendments aim to optimize resource allocation based on community needs and HUD requirements, with the revised budgets effective as of May 22, 2025.
Breakdown of CDGB Budget by Organization, Initiative or Project:
Public Service Programs – Outside Agencies
- Boys & Girls Club (Aggregated):
- Building STEM skills to fuel a STEM workforce: $4,500.00
- Mental Wellness Toolkits/Reservation: $3,000.00
- Workforce Development Program: $3,000.00
- Total: $10,500.00
- HOPE Community Services (Aggregated):
- Food Pantry: $8,000.00
- Soup Kitchen: $5,000.00
- Self Sufficiency Program: $2,000.00
- Total: $15,000.00
- Songcatchers, Inc. (Aggregated):
- Youth Choir: $5,000.00
- Early Childhood: $5,000.00
- After School Music Program: $5,000.00
- Total: $15,000.00
- WICS (Aggregated):
- Parent Child Center: $4,000.00
- Disabled Housing Program: $4,000.00
- Total: $8,000.00
- AJS Wellness: $5,000.00
- Better Way New York Inc.: $4,500.00
- Girls, Inc.: $0.00
- Growl Lincoln: $15,000.00
- Meals-on-Wheels – Frail Elderly Meal Program: $8,000.00
- Westchester Residential Opportunities: $5,000.00
- Westcop – Food Pantry: $3,000.00
- Women’s Enterprise Dev. Ctr (WEDC) Entrepreneurial Program: $15,000.00
- WESTHAB Occupational Services: $7,500.00
- Bracey Empowerment Program: $7,000.00
- Human Development Services of Westchester: $2,500.00
- Choice of New Rochelle – NR OYP Employment Enhancement Program: $4,000.00
- Young Coaches Program Corp: $4,000.00
- Subtotal – Outside Agencies: $94,700.00
Public Service Programs – City Programs
- NR Parks & Rec (Aggregated):
- Developmentally Disabled Minicamp: $13,000.00
- Lincoln Park Pool Summer Program: $51,400.00
- Senior Recreation Programs: $20,000.00
- Summer Camp Scholarship Program: $14,000.00
- Jefferson Daycamp: $6,000.00
- Total: $104,400.00
- NR Youth Bureau (Aggregated):
- Middle School Drop-In Program: $28,400.00
- Network Youth Leadership Program: $40,000.00
- Total: $68,400.00
- Subtotal – City Programs: $212,240.00
Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements
- New Rochelle Transit Center Redesign: $500,000.00
- Sidewalk & Roadway Improvements in CDBG Eligible Areas – DPW: $327,280.00
- Park Improvements – Donofrio Field (Aggregated):
- Park Improvements: $0.00
- Project Implementation: $0.00
- Total: $0.00
- DPW – ADA Improvements Police Station: $0.00
- Winthrop Ave Restoration – DPW: $0.00
- Open Space at Echo Ave. (Green Infrastructure): $0.00
- Brook St. Complete Streets (ClimateSmart): $0.00
- Sustainability: $0.00
- Total Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements: $827,280.00
Economic Development
- Pro Implementation Costs – Façade Improvement: $5,000.00
- Signage, Awnings, & Façade Improvement Program: $76,002.00
- Total Economic Development: $81,002.00
Administration & Planning
- Consulting Services: $5,000.00
- Indirect Costs: $9,595.00
- Office Supp & Exp: $600.00
- Postage & Freight: $400.00
- Telephone Expense: $1,490.00
- Printing & Advertising: $1,400.00
- Training & Development: $1,400.00
- Salaries & Fringe Benefits (110 & 800’s): $256,119.00
- Total Administration & Planning: $274,604.00
Overall Total
- Total: $1,385,726.00
The overall budget increase from $1,447,546.00 (2024 Final Adopted) to $1,385,726.00 (2025 Proposed Revised) reflects a net decrease of $61,820.00, indicating that increases in some areas are offset by reductions elsewhere.
Proposed CDBG Increases
Increases are identified by comparing the 2024 Final Adopted column to the 2025 Proposed Revised column. Items with a 2024 value of $0.00 that receive funding in 2025 are considered new increases. The largest increases are in the Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements category, with the New Rochelle Transit Center Redesign, from $0.00 to $500,000.00, and Sidewalk & Roadway Improvements, from $0.00 to $327,280.00, leading due to their significant new allocations.
Based on the 2025 Community Development Block Grant Budget – Proposed Revised, dated 5/29/2025, and comparing the 2024 Final Adopted and 2025 Proposed Revised columns, the following items show an increase in funding:
Public Service Programs – Outside Agencies
- AJS Wellness: Increased from $0.00 to $5,000.00
- Better Way New York Inc.: Increased from $0.00 to $4,500.00
- Boys & Girls Club Building STEM skills to fuel a STEM workforce: Increased from $0.00 to $4,500.00
- Boys & Girls Club Mental Wellness Toolkits/Reservation: Increased from $0.00 to $3,000.00
- Boys & Girls Club Workforce Development Program: Increased from $0.00 to $3,000.00
- Growl Lincoln: Increased from $0.00 to $15,000.00
- Women’s Enterprise Dev. Ctr (WEDC) Entrepreneurial Program: Increased from $10,000.00 to $15,000.00
- WESTHAB Occupational Services: Increased from $5,000.00 to $7,500.00
- Bracey Empowerment Program: Increased from $0.00 to $7,000.00
- Human Development Services of Westchester: Increased from $0.00 to $2,500.00
- Choice of New Rochelle – NR OYP Employment Enhancement Program: Increased from $0.00 to $4,000.00
- Songcatchers, Inc. – Youth Choir: Increased from $0.00 to $5,000.00
- Songcatchers, Inc. – Early Childhood: Increased from $0.00 to $5,000.00
- Songcatchers, Inc. – After School Music Program: Increased from $0.00 to $5,000.00
- Young Coaches Program Corp: Increased from $0.00 to $4,000.00
- Subtotal – Outside Agencies: Increased from $83,442.00 to $94,700.00
Public Service Programs – City Programs
- NR Parks & Rec – Lincoln Park Pool Summer Program: Increased from $48,000.00 to $51,400.00
- NR Parks & Rec – Senior Recreation Programs: Increased from $15,000.00 to $20,000.00
- NR Parks & Rec – Summer Camp Scholarship Program: Increased from $10,000.00 to $14,000.00
- NR Youth Bureau – Middle School Drop-In Program: Increased from $25,000.00 to $28,400.00
- NR Youth Bureau – Network Youth Leadership Program: Increased from $35,000.00 to $40,000.00
- Subtotal – City Programs: Increased from $212,240.00 to $212,240.00 (no net change, but individual increases offset others)
Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements
- New Rochelle Transit Center Redesign: Increased from $0.00 to $500,000.00
- Sidewalk & Roadway Improvements in CDBG Eligible Areas – DPW: Increased from $0.00 to $327,280.00
- Total Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements: Increased from $850,153.00 to $827,280.00 (net decrease due to other reductions, but new items added)
Economic Development
- No items show an increase; all allocations either remain the same or decrease.
Administration & Planning
- No individual line items show an increase; total decreased from $289,259.92 to $274,604.00.
Proposed CDBG Decreases
Decreases are identified by comparing the 2024 Final Adopted column to the 2025 Proposed Revised column. The largest decreases are Sustainability, from $270,000.00 to $0.00, Brook Street, from $130,000.00 to $0.00, Sidewalk & Roadway Improvements in CDBG Eligible Areas, from $150,000.00 to $0.00, Park Improvements – Donofrio Field from $141,153.00 to $0.00, Consulting Services, from $50,335.00 to $5,000.00.
Based on the 2025 Community Development Block Grant Budget – Proposed Revised, dated 5/29/2025, and comparing the 2024 Final Adopted column to the 2025 Proposed Revised column, the following items show a decrease in funding:
Public Service Programs – Outside Agencies
- Girls, Inc.: Decreased from $4,000.00 to $0.00
- HOPE Community Services – Food Pantry: Decreased from $10,000.00 to $8,000.00
- HOPE Community Services – Soup Kitchen: Decreased from $7,000.00 to $5,000.00
- HOPE Community Services – Self Sufficiency Program: Decreased from $3,000.00 to $2,000.00
- Meals-on-Wheels – Frail Elderly Meal Program: Decreased from $10,000.00 to $8,000.00
- Westchester Residential Opportunities: Decreased from $7,000.00 to $5,000.00
- Westcop – Food Pantry: Decreased from $5,000.00 to $3,000.00
- WICS – Parent Child Center: Decreased from $5,000.00 to $4,000.00
- WICS – Disabled Housing Program: Decreased from $5,000.00 to $4,000.00
- Subtotal – Outside Agencies: Decreased from $83,442.00 to $94,700.00 (net increase, but individual decreases noted)
Public Service Programs – City Programs
- NR Parks & Rec – Developmentally Disabled Minicamp: Decreased from $15,000.00 to $13,000.00
- NR Parks & Rec – Jefferson Daycamp: Decreased from $10,000.00 to $6,000.00
- Subtotal – City Programs: Decreased from $212,240.00 to $212,240.00 (no net change, but individual decreases offset by increases)
Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements
- Sidewalk & Roadway Improvements in CDBG Eligible Areas – DPW: Decreased from $150,000.00 to $0.00
- Park Improvements – Donofrio Field: Decreased from $141,153.00 to $0.00
- Park Improvements – Donofrio Field – Project Implementation: Decreased from $4,000.00 to $0.00
- DPW – ADA Improvements Police Station: Decreased from $75,000.00 to $0.00
- Winthrop Ave Restoration – DPW: Decreased from $30,000.00 to $0.00
- Open Space at Echo Ave. (Green Infrastructure): Decreased from $50,000.00 to $0.00
- Brook St. Complete Streets (ClimateSmart): Decreased from $130,000.00 to $0.00
- Sustainability: Decreased from $270,000.00 to $0.00
- Total Public Facilities/Infrastructure Improvements: Decreased from $850,153.00 to $827,280.00
Economic Development
- Pro Implementation Costs – Façade Improvement: Decreased from $15,000.00 to $5,000.00
- Total Economic Development: Decreased from $91,002.00 to $81,002.00
Administration & Planning
- Consulting Services: Decreased from $50,335.00 to $5,000.00
- Salaries & Fringe Benefits (110 & 800’s): Decreased from $202,024.00 to $256,119.00 (note: this appears to be a typo or data error in the original; typically, a decrease would be expected, but the document shows an increase—please verify)
- Subtotal – Administration & Planning: Decreased from $289,259.92 to $274,604.00
Notes
Breakdown of HOME Budget by Organization, Initiative or Project:
The 2025 HOME Partnership Investment Budget – Proposed Revised, dated 5/22/2025, outlines the allocation of a total HOME allocation of $446,045.84. The budget reflects a slight reallocation with a focus on maintaining administrative costs while reducing program and CHDO funding.
- Total Budget: The total HOME allocation increased from $447,423.24 (2024 Final Adopted and 2025 Adopted) to $446,045.84 (Proposed Revised), a net decrease of $1,377.40.
- CHDO Community Housing Development Organization:
- Funding decreased from $67,113.49 to $66,906.88, a reduction of $206.61, reflecting adjustments within the 15% CHDO Reserve cap ($66,906.88).
- Programs:
- TBRA – Tenant Based Rental Assistance: Increased from $335,567.43 to $334,734.96, a decrease of $832.47.
- Downpayment Assistance: Increased from $0.00 to $0.00 (no change, listed as $0.00 in both years).
- Subtotal – Programs: Decreased from $335,567.43 to $334,734.96, a reduction of $832.47.
- Administration:
- Salaries/Benefits: Decreased from $38,253.32 to $38,917.00, an increase of $663.68.
- Consultant: Decreased from $1,000.00 to $0.00, a decrease of $1,000.00.
- Indirect Costs (6.5% of All Salaries/Benefits): Decreased from $2,487.00 to $2,487.00 (no change).
- Training & Development: Decreased from $1,000.00 to $1,000.00 (no change).
- Printing & Advertising: Decreased from $1,000.00 to $1,000.00 (no change).
- Office Supp & Exp: Decreased from $1,000.00 to $1,000.00 (no change).
- Subtotal – Administration: Decreased from $44,742.32 to $44,404.00, a reduction of $338.32.
- Overall Change: The net decrease of $1,377.40 is primarily due to reductions in CHDO funding and programs, partially offset by a slight increase in salaries/benefits under administration.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
