The Flagstaff City Council has approved its 2026 Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, allocating approximately $881,000 in federal funding to support housing stability, neighborhood infrastructure, and community resilience initiatives. The funding is designed to benefit low- and moderate-income residents across the city.
The grants will support a range of projects focused on homelessness response, public services, accessibility improvements, and neighborhood revitalization. A major share of the funding, $500,000, has been designated for the reconstruction of Ponderosa Park in the Sunnyside neighborhood, which was damaged by post-wildfire flooding. The redevelopment will include upgraded playground facilities, improved pedestrian lighting, accessible infrastructure, and community gathering spaces.
Additional investments include $77,000 for upgrades to the Murdoch Center Resilience Hub in the Southside neighborhood. The improvements aim to strengthen emergency preparedness, improve indoor air quality during wildfire smoke events, and expand the facility’s ability to serve residents during extreme weather and crises.
The plan also allocates $49,196 for ADA accessibility improvements at the City’s Sustainability Office to enhance access to public programs and services. In addition, $54,500 will support Flagstaff Shelter Services operations at The Lantern, a hotel-to-housing initiative for individuals experiencing homelessness, while another $54,500 will go to the Northland Family Help Center to support domestic violence shelter case management services.
The Community Development Block Grant program is funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and is aimed at strengthening affordable housing, public infrastructure, and economic opportunity in underserved communities. Flagstaff’s 2026 funding decisions are guided by its newly adopted five-year Consolidated Plan, developed through community engagement and housing needs assessments.
City officials emphasized that the approved projects are targeted investments in infrastructure, housing support, and accessibility improvements designed to respond directly to community-identified needs. Previous CDBG funding in Flagstaff has supported supportive housing developments, park improvements, and the preservation of affordable housing units.
The latest funding round reflects the city’s continued focus on combining housing stability with climate resilience and inclusive public infrastructure, particularly in response to wildfire risks and growing demand for supportive housing services.
