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AUBURN -- On the heels of a public hearing last week to discuss priorities for the 2007 Community Development Block Grant Program, the city council will vote on a resolution to urge representatives to support keeping funding near the current level for the city during its Thursday meeting.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed the CDBG Reform Act of 2006. If this passes, the formula that computes how much money a city will recieve will be recalculated. The new formula would decrease the current amount by more than $350,000, or 40 percent of the city allocation.

Also, legislators are looking at creating a minimum grant threshold. If the city doesn't obtain grants equaling $518,000 and the appropriations levels are decreased, Auburn could lose its status as an entitlement community.

Jennifer Haines, Planning and Economic Development program manager, warned that the CDBG money is the only funding to improve infrastructure improvements and it's the backbone for programs that keep affordable housing available for low and moderate-income housing.

She pushed for a similar resolution in March after the president proposed deep cuts for the appropriations in the CDBG program.

For more, read Tuesday's edition of The Citizen