The meeting was the second public hearing of the Fall River Community Development Agency (FRCDA) concerning the draft Year 2 Annual Action Plan. Michael Dion, Executive Director and CFO of FRCDA, opened the hearing by providing an overview of the agency's role in administering U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) community planning and development programs, noting that FRCDA disperses approximately $10 million annually in federal, state, and private funds. The purpose of the hearing was to gather public input on the draft Year 2 Annual Action Plan, which outlines strategies for community development, housing, and homeless needs, building upon the city's Consolidated Plan approved by HUD on July 17, 2025. The plan, scheduled to commence July 1, 2026, will utilize funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnership (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) programs. Projected funding for the programs includes $2,477,723 for CDBG, $227,015 for ESG, and $1,165,526 for the HOME program. The planning timetable for the plan was adjusted due to a state of emergency declared by Governor Maura Healey for Massachusetts and Mayor Paul Coogan for Fall River on February 22, 2026, following Winter Storm Hernando (the Blizzard of 2026). A summary of the proposed plan was published on March 11, 2026, and residents have until April 13th to submit comments. The draft plan and related materials are slated for submission to the City Council on April 28th, with the Council expected to consider a resolution authorizing Mayor Paul Coogan to file the plan with HUD by May 15th. No members of the public were present to offer testimony at this hearing, leading to its closure.
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City Officials
Public / Other
Good evening. Tonight is the uh second public hearing uh of the community development agency. My name is Michael Dion. I'm the executive director CFO of the for community development agency.
0:17Before we get started, I'm going to provide a brief overview of the role of the F FRCDA office and its function within the city. uh for community development agency is responsible for the administration of the US department in housing and urban development community planning and development programs among other grant programs. The agency's mission is to assist local government to do the following. It's to
0:42achieve highquality locally responsive programs, make communities better places to live and work, and improve low and low and moderate income residents.
0:54F FRCDA has performed this function for over 50 years beginning in the 70s. Each year, FRCDA receives approximately $10 million in federal and state and private funds which it disperses to community agencies that provide a vast array of services and activities. FRCDA serves as a layon between citizens, service providers, subreients, city government, and HUD.
1:23All planning documents and efforts require public hearings and citizens input prior to completion. Tonight's public hearing is being held to provide residents of Fall River and all interested parties with the opportunity to express their views on the draft of the year 2 annual action plan being prepared for submission to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city of Fall River
1:48Rivers consolidated plan was approved by HUD on July 17, 2025.
1:55That document identified community development, housing, and homeless needs and a schedule of strategies to address them over a 5-year period. The year 2 annual action plan addresses those strategies with activities to be undertaken through the community development block grant program, home investment partnership program, and the emergency solutions grant program during the program years commencing July 1, 2026.
2:23Copies of the projected use of funds for each of the programs to be undertaken in the second action year are available for public review.
2:33Note that states of emergency were declared by Governor Mora Healey for the state of Massachusetts and by Mayor Paul Coogan for the city of Fall River on February 22nd, 2006 for winter storm Hernando aka the blizzard of 2026, which impacted our area and necessitated week-long building closures, travel, and parking bans. As a result, FRCDA revised its planning process timetable and uploaded it to the
3:03city of F River Municipal website www.fall riverma.gov on February 27th, 2026.
3:14The date government sent to reopen for employees in the public. Key dates have changed. A summary of the proposed year 2 annual action plan was published in the following locations on March 11th, 2026.
3:30The city of for municipal website, the city clerk's office bulletin board, and the for government television FRGTV local access cable channel 97. And citizens were invited to submit comments. The summary describes the contents and the purpose of the plan and includes a list of the locations where copies of the entire proposed plan may be examined.
3:56Copies of the proposed plan are available for public review at the following locations. The for community development agency at one government center, the office of the city clerk at government center second floor and the Fall River main public library at 104 North Main Street. And on the city of F River uh F River's municipal website under the community development uh agency page under the reports and plans
4:21tab residents have until April 13th to submit comments. All comments received during this period and testimony, statements, letters, and petitions submitted at tonight's hearing will be used in updating the year 2 annual action plan for the program year to start in July 1, 2026.
4:44According to the submission timetable, draft copies of the year 2 annual action plan and permitting related information materials will be submitted to the city council. At its meeting on April 28th, the city council will consider enactment of a resolution authorizing Mayor Paul Eugan to file the year 2 annual action plan with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development honor about May 15.
5:13Year 52 of the forward community development block grant CDBG program, year 40 of the emergency solutions grant ESG program and year 35 of the home investment partnership program are scheduled to begin July 1, 2026.
5:31Projected funding includes 2,477,723 for the CDBG program, $227,15 for the ESG program, and 1,165,526 for the home program.
5:52The format of tonight's public hearing will be to allow participants the opportunity to express their views on the proposed year 2 annual action plan.
6:02Prepared statements to that effect will be accepted. Persons wishing to speak have been asked to sign a separate signin sheet and will be called to testify. Each speaker should allow or should state his or her name and address and if appropriate the agency or organization represented. Uh tonight um we do not have anyone here in in government center chambers to um testify uh uh for or against the um year 2
6:34annual action plan. So, at this time, I'd like to close out this public hearing um and uh again uh look at the um uh timetable that we have and the public comment period that we're going through right now. You can still submit public comments against the uh against or for the plan. So, thank you.