Dwindling federal Community Development Block Grants, plans to offer to start employer-assisted housing and a report on the city’s programs to reimburse developers for city fees when building affordable housing highlighted a staff housing report during a five-hour City Council work session Monday night.

The City’s new Housing Manager George Rodriguez told the council to be prepared for a decrease in the funding, saying $150 million was diverted to recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina and more than 50 cities have been added to the program, directly competing with
Flagstaff for federal funding.

Sarah Darr, the city’s land trust manager, told the council that the federal priorities had changed for the CDBG funds, moving toward projects that affect the greatest number
of people.

Arizona Daily Sun