Bristol Virginia City Council held a public hearing April 22 on the city’s 2025 HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual action plan and five-year consolidated plan, and heard from local nonprofits seeking CDBG funding.

City staff CDBG coordinator Ellen Tolton told council that the city’s 2025 CDBG budget is being estimated at last year’s allocation, "$259,696," and that HOME funds are estimated at about "$70,000." Tolton said public service grants through CDBG are capped at 15 percent of the total allocation, which equates to roughly "$37,000 to $38,000," while total public service funding requests received top "$132,000." Tolton said staff will present formal recommendations at a later meeting.

During the public-comment portion of the hearing, applicants outlined how they would use CDBG funding. Laura Kelly, executive director of Holston Habitat for Humanity, requested $35,000 to support critical home repair projects, saying the funds would "serve between 5 and 10 families with critical home repairs" including roofs, wheelchair ramps and plumbing work. Kelly said Holston Habitat has completed 51 projects in the city to date and that demand far outpaces available funding.

Steve Howie, executive director of the Appalachian Independence Center, described disability-focused services his organization provides across Planning District 3, including accessibility equipment loans, ramp installation and an accessible garden program. T.J. DeWitt of Bristol Public Library outlined plans for workforce and technology training at the Homer and Ida Jones Creative Arts Technology and Workforce Development Center, including a program to distribute Chromebooks to participants.

Other speakers included Kathy Rourke of the Children’s Advocacy Center, who thanked the city for longstanding support and provided year-to-date service counts, Erin Faust and Cindy Rocket from Crossroads Medical Mission, who described plans to expand low-income medical and behavioral-health supports, and Molly Allen of Girls Inc. of Bristol, who said CDBG funds would help maintain playground surfacing to meet licensure standards.

Tolton told council that because the public-service portion of CDBG is capped, staff will have to prioritize among competing requests and will bring recommendations back to council for decision. No funding awards were made at the hearing; the record will be used to shape staff recommendations at a subsequent meeting.