National CD Week Spotlight

To celebrate day two of National Community Development Week, NCDA is happy to spotlight the following projects and activities.

City of Quincy, MA
Father Bills and Main Spring helps homeless veterans find housing, jobs, and support services. The City of Quincy, MA provides CDBG funds to assist with case management to help connect veterans to housing, services and other support.

Los Angeles County, CA
Pellissier Market Façade Improvements
Los Angeles County used CDBG funds to improve the 61-year old Pellissier Market, located in Whittier, CA. The enhancements improved the appearance of the market; attracting customers and serving as a welcoming gathering place for local residents.
Watch the Video

Tulsa, OK
National CD Week Proclamation
Mayor G.T. Bynum proclaimed April 2-6, 2018 as National Community Development Week in the City of Tulsa with the following video presentation. According to the city, benefits to the community made possible through CDBG and HOME funding include affordable housing, demolition of blighted property, economic development, job training and other social service programs.
Watch the Video

The City/County of Camden, NJ will hold a three-day celebration of its grant programs during National Community Development Week that will focus on the following program areas: homeownership, senior services, public works, code enforcement, commercial façade improvement, property improvement, youth services and others. In the last five years, CDBG funding has assisted approximately 50,000 low- and moderate-income people, primarily the elderly, youth and working families. HOME funding has assisted approximately 50 low- and moderate-income families through homebuyer assistance and housing rehabilitation in the last five years.

Salinas, CA
Using CDBG for Economic Development
The City of Salinas, CA is spotlighting the use of CDBG economic development grant funds during National Community Development Week. The City is recognizing two successful businesses that have benefited from CDBG funds: North County Industrial Machine Shop, Inc. and Central Coast Sign and Design. Both have used CDBG grant funding along with the Grow Salinas Fund (GSF) through the National Development Council to spur economic development and job creation.

St. Louis, MO
Lewis Place Walking Tour/CDBG and HOME Projects Tour
Mayor Lyda Krewson, CD Director, Alana Green, and the community participated in a walking tour of historic Lewis Place, the oldest African-American street in St. Louis and a landmark known for its role in the fight against restrictive covenants in the early twentieth century. The City of St. Louis also hosted a bus tour of local CDBG and HOME projects. Attended by HUD staff, local elected officials, and other key stakeholders, the tour showcased seven projects including residential projects and youth, financial literacy and food access/health programs. This walking tour and bus tour is one of six events occurring during National Community Development Week in the city.

Jersey City, NJ
CDBG/HOME Video
Mayor Steven Fulop speaks about how CDBG and HOME are used in the City of Jersey City in this YouTube video. The city also created this flyer to highlight National CD Week.

Jacksonville, NC
Giving Back to Elderly Homeowners
The City of Jacksonville, NC partnered with the Jacksonville Youth Council and the Bell Fork Home Association to sponsor a yard clean-up for low-income elderly homeowners. The local television station provided coverage of the event.

Valdosta, GA
Project Ribbon Cutting/Promoting Fair Housing Rights
The City of Valdosta, GA kicked off National Community Development Week with the issuance of a proclamation from Mayor John Gayle. City leaders and residents also celebrated National Community Development Week with the ribbon cutting of a reconstructed home in the City’s Designated Revitalization Area that was funded with CDBG. Citizens were encouraged to reach out to their Congressional Members during National CD Week to voice their support for CDBG. The city also hosted a “Knowing Your Fair Housing Rights” workshop for citizens and partnered with the local Chamber of Commerce to host a one-day small business start-up workshop.

Richland County, SC
A Week of Activities/Recognizing Fair Housing Month
Richland County, SC kicked off National Community Development Week commemorating April as Fair Housing Month and recognizing the 55th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. County staff took turns reading portions of the speech. Council issued a CD Week proclamation on Tuesday. County leaders will hold a press conference today to recognize the importance of CDBG, CDBG-DR and HOME funding. The week will conclude with a ceremony to honor the accomplishments of previous public housing residents.

Conroe, TX
Focusing on the Need for CDBG Funds
The City of Conroe, TX focused on the need for increasing CDBG funds as the center of its National Community Development Week celebration. City staff took city leaders, HUD officials, Congressional staff, the CDBG Citizen Board, and the media on a tour of projects in need of funding. The tour made stops at six houses that have been waiting for rehabilitation assistance through CDBG. Tour participants heard from the homeowners and saw directly the terrible housing conditions in which they live. The tour was impactful; showing firsthand the desperate need for more CDBG funding.

Fairfax County, VA
Involving Local Elected Leaders and Subrecipients in Promoting CDBG and HOME
The Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development developed a brochure and a video outlining the use of CDBG and HOME funds in the community. The brochure included a letter from the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors recognizing the importance of both programs as well as National CD Week. The brochure provides an overview of the major projects funded through the programs and includes testimonials from subrecipients on the importance of CDBG and HOME to the community. Dick Kennedy, the former Director of HUD’s Office of Block Grant Assistance and now a Commissioner of the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority narrated the video. The Board of Supervisors also issued a proclamation recognizing National Community Development Week. In FY17, CDBG and HOME funds helped preserve 214 affordable housing units in the county. CDBG further assisted nearly 500 clients with crisis intervention assistance and self-sufficiency support. HOME funding provided tenant-based rental assistance to 43 families serving 124 beneficiaries.

Milwaukee, WI
Showing the Impact of CDBG
Like Fairfax County, VA, the City of Milwaukee, WI developed a comprehensive brochure which provides facts and information on the use of CDBG funds in the city in 2017. The brochure provides a great marketing tool for the program and one that can be easily sent to Congressional Members and city leaders to show the impact of the program. In the last year, CDBG funds were used for job training and placement; 302 low/moderate residents received employment after completing job training provided with CDBG funds. CDBG funds were also used to assist 13 new business startups and 7 business expansions, creating 65 new jobs for low/moderate income people. Over 150 households received owner-occupied rehabilitation assistance through CDBG. Funds were also used for the rehabilitation and construction of affordable housing and for youth and homeless services.