Las Vegas Community Development Recommending Board Meeting – February 23, 2026
Las Vegas Community Development Recommending Board Meeting – February 23, 2026
The Community Development Recommending Board (CDRB) met on February 23, 2026, at 20:56 UTC to review and recommend allocations for federal grant funds under the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for fiscal years 2026–2027 and 2027–2028. After presentations and deliberation, the board voted to fund six HOPWA applicants (totaling $3.3 million) and seven CDBG applicants (totaling $500,000), with several abstentions and one opposition.
Report on Grant Process
- Colleen Duwiger, Grant Program Coordinator, reported that the application process began on October 13, 2025, with an RFP posted for HOPWA and CDBG funds. Two technical workshops were held on October 28, 2025, and the RFP closed on November 13, 2025. The CDRB received eligible applications on December 8, 2025, and heard presentations from applicants on February 9–11, 2026. Applicants needed to score at least 70% of total available points to be considered: 154 out of 220 points for HOPWA, 147 out of 210 points for CDBG.
Discussion: HOPWA Allocations
- The board considered six eligible HOPWA applicants. Members debated whether to fund the top five scorers fully or to include the sixth-ranked organization (Golden Rainbow) with a proportional cut. Various percentage cuts were modeled. After discussion, the board agreed to apply a 17% reduction across all six to stay within the $3.3 million HOPWA allocation.
- Member Miller asked staff to clarify that organizations not meeting the threshold could be zeroed out. Staff confirmed.
- Conflict of interest disclosures were made: Member Caliendo abstained on Foster Kinship (though not in HOPWA) and on Scouting America; Member Prado abstained on Leaders in Training; Member Lanthrop abstained on Family Promise and Desert Spring Resource Center (these were CDBG items).
- Member Jones Anguero advocated for Golden Rainbow, citing its strong presentation and focus on direct services rather than administrative costs. Member Prado noted that some organizations had large prior awards and that the city should consider capacity and risk ratings. The board ultimately voted unanimously (with one voice initially unclear but resolved) to fund the six organizations at the reduced amounts.
Discussion: CDBG Allocations
- The board had $500,000 to allocate among many eligible organizations. Member McKnight suggested using a board score cut-off of 140 points or a total score of 180. Member Prado proposed funding the top seven organizations at the minimum $65,000 each, calculating that would use $455,000, leaving $45,000 to distribute. Others advocated for prioritizing youth and homelessness programs.
- After extensive debate, Member Hadad Bennett made a motion to fund seven organizations at varying amounts: Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth ($75,000), Foster Kinship ($70,000), Help of Southern Nevada ($75,000), Jewish Family Service Agency ($75,000), Westcare ($75,000), Leaders in Training ($65,000), and Real Talk Youth Impact Program ($65,000). The motion was seconded and amended to fully fund some organizations, resulting in the $500,000 total.
- The board voted line by line. Each passed with the following abstentions/opposition:
- Foster Kinship: Member Caliendo abstained (she is the director).
- Leaders in Training: Members Prado and Conyers abstained.
- Real Talk Youth Impact: Member Burks voted opposed.
- All other items passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- HOPWA: Approved funding for six organizations totaling $3,300,000 with a 17% reduction across the board:
- Access to Healthcare Network (access HIV Services Nevada): $951,200.17
- AFAN (housing services): $545,866.18
- Community Counseling Center (community health): $75,158.41
- Hope Link of Southern Nevada (Housing is Healthcare): $747,458.41
- Women's Development Center (permanent housing): $481,858.41
- Golden Rainbow (HIV permanent housing placement support): $498,458.41
- CDBG: Approved funding for seven organizations totaling $500,000:
- Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth: $75,000
- Foster Kinship: $70,000
- Help of Southern Nevada: $75,000
- Jewish Family Service Agency: $75,000
- Westcare: $75,000
- Leaders in Training: $65,000
- Real Talk Youth Impact Program: $65,000
- The board’s recommendations will be presented to the Las Vegas City Council for final approval.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. This is Chair Miller. Calling the order. Our community development recommending board. With that, I'll ask Madame Clerk to please call the roll. Chair Miller. Present. Could McKnight. Present. Member Marlin. Excused. Member Hadad Bennett. Present. Member Prado. Present. Member Letrop. Present. Member Burks. Excused. Member Jackson. Present. Member Conyers. Present. Member Jones Anguero. Present. Member Caliando. Present. Member Freeman. Excused. Thank you, Chair. You have a quorum. Thank you very much. Also, we are in full compliance with opening meeting law. Madam Chair. Clerk. Yes, Chair, we are. Thank you. Moving on to agenda item number three, public comment. Comment during this portion of the agenda must be limited to matters on the agenda for action. If you wish to be heard, please come forward and give your name for the record. The amount of discussion as well as the amount of time any single speaker is allowed may be limited. Is there any public comment? Seeing none, we'll move on to agenda item number four, report by Colleen Duwiger, grant program coordinator regarding housing and urban development, federal grants and allocation of federal funds. Colleen Duiger, neighborhood service. The City of Las Vegas' grant application process began on October 13th, 2025 with the posting of a request for proposal, RFP for agencies seeking program funding from the city's allocation of funds for housing opportunities for persons with AIDS, HOPWA, and the Community Development Block Grant, CDBG. The grant funds for each of these programs were designated as two-year grants, which were designed to provide funds for selected agencies in fiscal years 2026 to 2027 and 2027 to 2028. The approximate amount of funding for HOPWA is 3.3 million, and the approximate amount of funding for CDBG is 500,000. Interested agencies were asked to attend one of two technical workshops held on October 28th, 2025. The RFP closed on November 13th, 2025, and the Community Development Recommending Board, CDRB received eligible applications for review on December 8th, 2025. The CDRB met on February 9th, 10th, and 11th, 2026 to hear presentations from applicants who met grant eligibility requirements.
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