Lodi Improvement Committee - July 14, 2026

Lodi

Jul 9

Lodi Improvement Committee - July 14, 2026 Meeting Summary

Summary

The July 14, 2026 Lodi Improvement Committee (LIC) agenda centers on approving May's minutes, planning a City Council presentation, reviewing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding activity, and updating 2026 annual goals. The Committee's mandate is to support CDBG implementation and improve Lodi's community quality of life through coordinated resident-facing efforts. Public participation is welcome in person at Carnegie Forum, via Zoom, or by written comment submitted at least three hours before the meeting.

Meeting Logistics and Access

The meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. and can be attended in person, via Zoom Webinar (Meeting ID 880 2451 7154, Passcode 191272), by phone (1 669 444 9171 or 1 253 215 8782), or livestreamed on the City's YouTube channel. Public comment can be submitted by email to LICcomments@lodi.gov, by mail, or hand-delivered, provided it arrives at least three hours before the meeting; written comments are entered into the record but not read aloud. Kari Chadwick, Community Development Program Specialist, is the staff contact for agenda questions, and Cynthia Marsh signed the agenda as Interim Community Development Director.

Detailed Agenda Breakdown

Roll Call and Minutes — Approval of minutes from the May 12, 2026 regular meeting.
Public Comment — A 5-minute-per-speaker period for non-agenda items.
City Council Update Presentation Discussion — Continued planning for the LIC's biannual Council update, first raised in May when Manager Jennifer Rhyne noted the PowerPoint needed Committee sign-off in advance.
2026 Annual Activities Updates and Task Assignments — A check-in on progress against the year's goals.
Regular Business — Determining topics for August (possible guests: Janet Vargas of CPFSJ, Rick Freeman of Lodi Adopt-A-Child, and Bailey Caswell) and September (still to be determined).
Adjournment — Closes the meeting after member/staff announcements.

Correspondence: CDBG Staff Report

Kari Chadwick's July 14 memorandum summarizes the CDBG program's status for the Committee.

The 2026-27 CDBG Annual Action Plan was adopted by City Council on June 3, with HUD's 2026-27 allocation to Lodi set at $665,263.
The 2025-26 program year ($655,037 award) allocated about $405,000 to capital projects, $98,000 to community-based organizations (15% public-services cap), and $130,000 to administration.
Funded partners included Community Partnership for Families (Family Resource Center, $29,500), PREVAIL's Propel Program ($16,000), Second Harvest Food Bank ($10,000), LOEL Senior Center's Meals on Wheels ($10,000), and The Salvation Army's Hope Harbor Operations ($17,500), alongside capital work by Lodi House, DCDC/HACSJ (Salas Park), and Public Works.
The Draft 2025-26 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) is tentatively headed to City Council for adoption on September 2.
The Public Services application cycle is on a rolling two-year schedule, so no new applications are being solicited this year.

Context From the May 2026 Meeting

Chair Lyndsy Davis presided over the May 12 meeting, with Members Geralis, Hayre, and Soto present and Sharma and Tran absent. Several carryover items are relevant to the July agenda.

The Committee committed to presenting to City Council in July, contingent on finalizing PowerPoint content in June.
Member Hayre reported working with Don Bradford on a cost-benefit analysis of the Lodi Armory (currently for sale by the State), with Economic Development Director Luis Aguilar identified as the City's project lead.
Member Soto proposed holding a town hall at a senior center or piggybacking on existing gatherings like BOBs coaches meetings.
Member Davis suggested Lodi Adopt-A-Child could help offset youth sports officiating fees and recommended Member Hayre contact Rick Freeman directly.
Member Soto flagged a Memorial Day volunteer event at Cherokee Memorial Cemetery.

2026 Annual Goals and Task Owners

Goal Area	Owner(s)	Key Tasks
Informational Updates	Lyndsy Davis	Downtown Specific Plan & Community Improvement Division briefings (TBD)
CDBG Funding Awareness	TBD	Liaison sharing CDBG opportunities with nonprofits
Advance Youth Programs	Dawson Hayre / Lyndsy Davis	Youth Commission collaboration, gang prevention, Lodi Lake youth business event
Animal Services Support	Lyndsy Davis & Dawson Hayre	Community awareness event with local facilities/nonprofits
Environmental Collaboration	Christine Tran	Earth Day event with Parks/Rec, Youth, Arts, Tree Lodi committees
Neighborhood Quality & Livability	Mono Geralis	"Report a Concern" liaison for blight, potholes, ADA issues
Community Resources	Mono Geralis	Liaison with Lodi Committee on Homelessness (LCOH) resource guide
City Beautification	Geralis, Tran, Davis	Public art tracking, Arts Commission liaison
City Council Engagement	All Members	Biannual PowerPoint presentations (August and Dec/Jan meetings)
Public Awareness (Town Hall)	Christine Tran	Host one town hall meeting, in-person or online

Background on Upcoming Guests and Organizations

Janet Vargas, Community Partnership for Families of San Joaquin (CPFSJ) — CPFSJ operates six Family Resource Centers across San Joaquin County offering family and youth services; it is headquartered at 4707 Kentfield Rd, Stockton, and already receives Lodi CDBG funding for its Family Resource Center.

Rick Freeman, Lodi Adopt-A-Child — Freeman is president of this long-running Lodi nonprofit, which provides holiday gifts (bicycles, scooters) and support to local children in need, now in its 35th year, and collaborates with Lodi Police on bicycle safety licensing.

Bailey Caswell — Marketing Coordinator/Director for Downtown Lodi, active in promoting local holiday events and Lodi Arts Foundation programming, making her a relevant voice on downtown business and cultural engagement.

The September meeting topic remains undetermined, leaving flexibility to add speakers based on CAPER report progress or Council presentation outcomes.

Key Responsibilities of the Lodi Improvement Committee

The LIC operates under City-adopted bylaws (Resolution No. 2011-173) with an advisory and coordinating mandate rather than direct regulatory power.

CDBG program support — Assisting City staff in implementing the five-year Consolidated Plan through outreach, feedback on program processes, and funding/project recommendations to City Council.
Quality-of-life stewardship — Maintaining and improving Lodi's appearance and livability through coordinated community efforts on issues like blight, alleyways, lighting, ADA accessibility, and beautification.
Annual goal-setting and execution — Creating and implementing yearly goals across four pillars: Informational Updates, Community Well-Being, Community Improvement, and Administration/Transparency/Accountability.
City Council liaison — Delivering biannual presentations to Council summarizing LIC goals and progress, typically the second meeting in August and again in December or January.
Community engagement and advocacy — Hosting town halls, partnering with the Youth Commission, Arts Commission, and Lodi Committee on Homelessness, and occasionally recommending policy actions to Council.

Overview of the CDBG Program

The Community Development Block Grant program is a federal formula grant administered by HUD under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, and it is one of HUD's longest-running programs. It aims to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income residents.

Eligibility and flexibility — Grants go to principal cities of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, cities with populations over 50,000, qualified urban counties, states, and insular areas; funds carry less federal oversight than categorical grants, giving local governments broad discretion in tailoring solutions.
National objectives — Every funded activity must meet at least one of three objectives: benefiting low- and moderate-income persons, preventing/eliminating slums or blight, or addressing urgent needs where no other funding exists.
Eligible uses — Funds can support property acquisition, rehabilitation of residential and non-residential structures, public facilities and infrastructure, limited public services, economic development/job creation, and energy conservation.
Spending thresholds — Over a locally chosen 1-, 2-, or 3-year period, at least 70 percent of funds must benefit low- and moderate-income persons, and typically no more than 15 percent can go to public services.
Local application in Lodi — Lodi receives its allocation annually (most recently $665,263 for 2026-27, up from $655,037 in 2025-26) and distributes it among administration, City capital projects, and CBOs like Second Harvest Food Bank, LOEL Senior Center, and The Salvation Army, following HUD rules and the City's five-year Consolidated Plan.

References

Contact: Kari Chadwick, Community Development Program Specialist — (209) 333-6711 — LICcomments@lodi.gov

Lodi Improvement CommitteeMeeting Summary

Don Bradford