Hernando County opens public comment on draft HUD housing plan

More than $1.5 million in federal housing money is now open to public scrutiny in Hernando County, and the choices made in the draft plan could shape neighborhood improvements, rent help, and affordable housing support across the county.

The county published notice on May 11 opening a 30-day comment period on its draft FY 2026-2027 HUD Annual Action Plan. The plan is the yearly spending document that turns Hernando County’s broader housing and community-development goals into specific priorities for federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Hernando County receives those dollars through the Community Development Block Grant Program and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. For the coming year, the notice lists $1,154,823 in CDBG funds for administration, infrastructure and public facilities, slum and blight work, public services, and economic development, along with $373,655.65 in HOME funds for administration, affordable housing, tenant-based rental assistance, and support for community housing development organizations. Combined, that is $1,528,478.65 that can be steered toward local projects and services.

The county’s current three-year Consolidated Plan runs from Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2027, and says Hernando County, as an Urban County Entitlement, will use HUD money to address housing, homelessness, community revitalization, economic development, and essential services for low-income and vulnerable residents. Its three main goals are to provide decent housing, provide a suitable living environment, and expand economic opportunities.

Public review of the draft action plan is scheduled from May 22 through June 22. Copies will be available on the county housing and supportive services website and at 621 W. Jefferson St. in Brooksville. Residents can also submit written comments before the public hearing set for July 28 at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 N. Main Street, in Brooksville.

The county’s Citizen Participation Plan says Hernando County will consider both written and oral comments and include a summary of how those comments were addressed in the final plan. That matters because the annual action plan can affect more than paperwork: it can shape which projects get funded, which nonprofits and developers receive support, and how far local dollars are stretched when state, private, and in-kind money are pooled with federal grants.

Hernando County Housing & Supportive Services also says it administers the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program, which is often leveraged with federal funds for affordable-housing activities. The county followed a similar public process last year, when it took comments on its draft Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan before a hearing in August 2024, showing how these decisions are built through a recurring public cycle rather than one closed-door vote.