The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides annual grants to entitlement communities to develop viable urban areas by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities – principally to benefit low-income persons. The grant amount is based on the federal budget and a formula calculation. The funding amounts vary from year to year.
Entitlement communities develop their own programs and funding priorities, and must give maximum feasible priority to activities that either benefit low-income persons or aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight. Other activities may be carried out after the community certifies that they meet other community development needs with a particular urgency. Existing conditions must pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the entire community in order to be declared as urgent. Activities that do not meet one of these broad national objectives may not be undertaken with CDBG funds.
Activities that can be carried out with CDBG funds include, but are not limited to: acquisition of real property, relocation assistance, building demolition, rehabilitation of residential and nonresidential structures, and construction/rehabilitation of public facilities and improvements such as streets, sidewalks, parks, and neighborhood centers. In addition, CDBG funds may be used to pay for public services and activities relating to energy conservation and renewable energy resources. Entitlement communities may also provide assistance to profit-motivated businesses to carry out economic development activities that can document that they primarily benefit low-income persons.
Skokie’s CDBG program will provide a better quality of life for low/moderate-income residents through “bricks and mortar” projects and service activities. The Village’s goals to achieve this vision:
