The city of Jamestown is looking to send a letter to members of Congress, urging them to stop the cuts of federal funds in the Housing and Urban Development HOME Investment Partnerships Program and the Community Development Block Grant program.

The current Fiscal Year 2026 federal budget is looking to include the complete elimination of HOME and CDBG funding, something that city officials have noted to be essential to helping some of the lower income people of the city.

“These funding sources are absolutely essential to our work in Jamestown,” said Crystal Surdyk, city development director in a previous interview with the Post-Journal. “Without HOME and CDBG, we lose the ability to directly invest in our neighborhoods, assist residents and their families, and support community-driven revitalization. This is not just a budget decision-this is a decision that affects real people, real families, and the future of cities like ours.”

The voting session agenda for tonight’s voting session includes a resolution asking for the city council to send a letter to Congress, detailing how important these programs are to the city and to urge them to restore the funding in the upcoming 2026 federal budget. The resolution that the council is set to vote on will be included with the letter when sent.

“To cut these programs now would have serious consequences; fewer housing options, stalled development, and increased hardship for families already facing economic uncertainty,” part of the letter says. “It would also reverse years of bipartisan progress in giving municipalities the tools to address local needs directly and effectively.”

The letter also addresses what each program means to the city, saying that by helping to invest in cities such as Jamestown, members of Congress are also investing in families, opportunity, and the health of the state and nation. The letter ends by urging Congress members to reject these cuts and help support the building of a more stable, vibrant and equitable future for all.

The resolution and included letter are under new business on the agenda, and look to be discussed and voted on at Monday’s voting session.

The council will also hold a public hearing before the meeting to get public input on a local law to exceed the state’s 2% tax cap if needed later this year when the council approves the 2026 budget. The local law is on the agenda for today’s council meeting.