Several mayors from the U.
S.
Conference of Mayors' Community Development and Housing Committee headed to Washington, D.
C.
late last year to meet with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.
Their discussion centered around the Community Development Block Grant program.
Since 1974, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) have provided close to $132 billion in funding for affordable housing and related projects.
Mayors from cities in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Indiana and Connecticut traveled to D.
C.
to share information on how CDBGs have helped improve their cities, and asked HUD to continue with the program.
Newton, Massachusetts mayor Setti Warren estimates that 1,500 homes and over 720 affordable housing units have been developed in his city using CDBG.
In addition, he says 115 public facilities, 30 playgrounds and parks and 80 roadways have all been improved as a result of CDBG funding.
Other mayors in the D.
C.
contingent have similar stories.
An estimated 1209 government entities receive money each year through Community Development Block grants.
Both major cities and rural areas are awarded grants, as is everything in between.
In addition, grants are awarded to the United States territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
Because CDBG awards aren't restricted to affordable housing, infrastructure, or other types of projects, they allow communities to take more holistic approaches to redevelopment, addressing housing, transportation, commercial and recreational spaces simultaneously.
In their meeting, the Mayors encouraged HUD to continue providing funding through Community Development Block Grants, citing the program's flexibility as one of its most valuable characteristics.
There has been no announcement yet, from HUD or the U.
S.
Conference of Mayors, regarding the outcome of the meeting.
S.
Conference of Mayors' Community Development and Housing Committee headed to Washington, D.
C.
late last year to meet with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.
Their discussion centered around the Community Development Block Grant program.
Since 1974, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) have provided close to $132 billion in funding for affordable housing and related projects.
Mayors from cities in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Indiana and Connecticut traveled to D.
C.
to share information on how CDBGs have helped improve their cities, and asked HUD to continue with the program.
Newton, Massachusetts mayor Setti Warren estimates that 1,500 homes and over 720 affordable housing units have been developed in his city using CDBG.
In addition, he says 115 public facilities, 30 playgrounds and parks and 80 roadways have all been improved as a result of CDBG funding.
Other mayors in the D.
C.
contingent have similar stories.
An estimated 1209 government entities receive money each year through Community Development Block grants.
Both major cities and rural areas are awarded grants, as is everything in between.
In addition, grants are awarded to the United States territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
Because CDBG awards aren't restricted to affordable housing, infrastructure, or other types of projects, they allow communities to take more holistic approaches to redevelopment, addressing housing, transportation, commercial and recreational spaces simultaneously.
In their meeting, the Mayors encouraged HUD to continue providing funding through Community Development Block Grants, citing the program's flexibility as one of its most valuable characteristics.
There has been no announcement yet, from HUD or the U.
S.
Conference of Mayors, regarding the outcome of the meeting.
Source...