Richardson weighs $798,000 federal grant for senior home repairs

Richardson City Council is weighing whether to pursue nearly $798,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant money for fiscal year 2027-28, a move that could help pay for senior home repairs, infrastructure work and other neighborhood improvements. The discussion came at the council’s May 18 work session, where Grow America field director Maureen Milligan outlined how the program works and what Richardson could use it for.

Under U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rules, Community Development Block Grant dollars can support housing rehabilitation, public facilities, infrastructure, public services, code enforcement and homeowner assistance. Any city that takes the money must direct at least 70% of the allocation to residents who are low to moderate income. Richardson has never accepted CDBG funds before, so the decision would give the city a new federal funding tool for local housing and maintenance needs.

Milligan said the city’s estimated allocation would be $798,000 and that the amount is expected to stay fairly steady over time. The strongest fit, based on Richardson’s own housing priorities, appears to be a home-repair program for older homeowners. City leaders have already identified aging in place as a priority for low-income seniors who want to stay safely in their homes as they get older, while also trying to address the shortage of reasonably priced homes for families and better-maintained rentals for lower-wage workers.

Those priorities were laid out in a Jan. 12 housing briefing that followed a housing needs assessment Grow America completed for Richardson in 2025. That assessment identified three major needs: help for older, low-income homeowners who want to remain in place, more affordable homes for sale for families with children, and better-kept rental housing for lower-wage workers. City staff also said the local housing supply has not kept pace with household growth, and lower-priced homes have become harder to find.

The CDBG discussion fit into a broader planning effort already underway in Richardson. The city’s Envision Richardson comprehensive plan, approved by City Council on Nov. 11, 2024, is intended as a 20- to 30-year blueprint for growth. Council also reviewed a proposed new Unified Development Code at the same May 18 work session, underscoring how housing policy and land-use rules are moving together.

The city is not starting from scratch. Garland, Plano and Allen already receive CDBG dollars for housing and infrastructure programs, giving Richardson a nearby comparison as it decides whether to join them. Local nonprofits could also serve as subrecipients to help administer the work, a structure that could connect the funding more directly with residents who already rely on trusted community organizations such as Richardson Community Services and the Richardson Senior Center.