THE CLOSING of the Sears department store in Westminster Mall opens the door to major changes at that center (Flickr/Chris Jepsen).

A closer look at the city’s plans for housing and the use of federal block grants will be offered at Wednesday’s meeting of the Westminster City Council.

The city will hold a public hearing on the annual action plan for affordable housing (Home Investment Partnership Act) and community development. Priorities for the 2018-19 year will include a focus on economic opportunity reflecting the effects of the city’s new general plan.

Themes in that field include:

• an enhanced look and feel of Westminster through updated building facades, landscaping and streetscaping;
• improvement of commercial areas that can compete with the surrounding communities;
• focus on six mixed-use areas – Civic Center, downtown Westminster Boulevard, Beach Boulevard, Little Saigon, Westminster Mall and the Northwest District;
• attraction and retention of retail tenants that generate high sales tax revenues;
• support for the retention, expansion and attraction of businesses that provide living wage jobs suited to the skills of residents;
• encouragement of office and industrial development centers that expand job opportunities.

Also on the agenda is a proposal to build 65 low-income housing units at 7122 Westminster Blvd.

The council meets in its chambers at 8200 Westminster Blvd. at 7 p.m.