🏞️ $43,878 allocated for a new multi-use recreational path connecting downtown to Twin Hills Park.
🏢 Crestview Manor receives $32,000 for facility repairs and safety improvements.
🎨 Nonprofit programs like the Crestview Resource Center and Arts and Learning Center share $24,697.80 for operations and community services.
CRESTVIEW — The Crestview City Council on Monday unanimously adopted its 2025 Annual Action Plan, approving how $164,652 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds will be spent on local projects and nonprofit support.
The vote also marked the start of the city’s new five-year Consolidated Plan, required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to outline local needs and spending priorities.
CRA Director Barry Henderson said $32,930.40 of the total, the maximum allowed under HUD rules, is reserved for planning and administration to cover staff time, advertising, public hearings, application processing, and preparation of the Annual Action Plan
The largest single project allocation, $43,878, will fund the design of a paved multi-use recreational path running adjacent to Industrial Drive and the railroad tracks, connecting Main Street and Twin Hills Park.
Henderson said this has been a CRA goal for about 15 years and will provide safer, more accessible pedestrian and bicycle access between downtown and the park.
Crestview Manor will receive $32,000 for ceiling tile and fan replacements and exterior repairs, including repainting and fixing a back door at the assisted living facility on North Pearl Street. Henderson said the work is “important… for the health, safety, and welfare of the individuals that utilize that resource.”
The public services portion of the CDBG, capped at 15% of the total allocation, is split evenly between the First Church of God in Christ’s Crestview Resource Center and the city’s new Arts and Learning Center on Main Street. Each will receive $12,348.90.
The Crestview Resource Center funding will go toward operational costs, such as on-site staff who manage the facility and assist visitors. The center offers counseling, legal and veteran services, HIV testing, and training in financial literacy, job readiness, and basic computer skills.
The Arts and Learning Center funding will purchase equipment, such as tables and chairs, and cover the costs of specific instructors, making classes free for the community. Henderson said this will ensure low-income neighborhoods can access programs without “invasive questions” about income.
The plan also earmarks $31,145.80 for security cameras at downtown city facilities, including the CRA office building on Main Street, Wilson Street Park, Twin Hills Park, the Arts and Learning Center, and possibly Allen Park. Henderson said the city will see how far the funding stretches based on quotes for the systems, some of which include advanced AI features.
Mayor JB Whitten called the CDBG funds “free money… from the federal government.”
Councilmember Ryan Bullard sought clarification on the camera funding, while Councilmember Dusty Allison praised the Crestview Resource Center as “an asset to our community” and encouraged others to visit.
Councilmember Shannon Hayes said the center is “more than worthy for the… community” for the range of services it provides.
The resolution passed 4-0, with Mayor Pro Tem Doug Capps absent.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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