Brian J. Gieseke

This Annual Action Plan for Program Year 2026, developed by the Will County CDBG Urban County and the Joliet/Will County HOME Consortium, outlines the strategic allocation of federal funds to address community development needs. The plan is structured around seven primary goals: creating new affordable housing, making existing housing more affordable, improving the condition of the housing stock, reducing homelessness, enhancing neighborhood infrastructure and facilities, improving public services, and bolstering planning, administration, and capacity building. These initiatives aim to foster housing stability, economic opportunity, and overall well-being for low- and moderate-income residents and homeless populations throughout Will County.

This Annual Action Plan outlines how Will County Illinois and the Joliet/Will County HOME Consortium will utilize federal funds, including CDBG, HOME, and ESG, for Program Year 2025. The plan focuses on strategic goals such as creating and preserving affordable housing, improving housing stock, reducing homelessness, and enhancing neighborhood infrastructure and public services. It also includes provisions for planning, administration, and capacity building to address community needs and support low- and moderate-income residents.

This document outlines Will County's preliminary strategic approach to utilizing $134 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act's State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) to address the physical and economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan focuses on key priorities including supporting public health expenditures, mitigating negative economic impacts, providing government services, assisting critical infrastructure workers, and investing in essential infrastructure such as sewer, water, and broadband. A central tenet is promoting equitable outcomes for target populations, industries, and businesses affected by the pandemic, alongside robust community engagement and the development of key performance indicators to measure progress. The primary investment areas are Infrastructure, Health, Economic Development, County Revenue Replacement, and Unmet Needs.