Community Development Block Grant Program - CDBG

Information by State  Esta página en español  Print version   What's New Federal Register Notice Entitled "Notice of Allocations, Application Procedures, Regulatory Waivers Granted to, and Alternative Requirements for Emergency Assistance for Redevelopment of Abandoned and Foreclosed Homes Grantees under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act, 2008" was published on September 29, 2008. The Notice advises the public that grants in the amount of $3.92 billion will be made to communities hardest hit by foreclosure and delinquencies. more... CPD Notice 08-05. Entitled “Implementing the New Freedom Initiative and Involving Persons with Disabilities in the Preparation of the Consolidated Plan through Citizen Participation” was published on May 2, 2008. The Notice reissues CPD Notice 05-03, and makes it clear that CDBG, HOME and HOPWA funds may be used to respond to the challenges raised by Olmstead v. L.C, the New Freedom Initiative, and Executive Order 13217. more... "Basically CDBG" Course Training Manual available now. The Office of Block Grant Assistance presents the newly revised "Basically CDBG:" course training manual. This manual was developed to guide and assist CDBG grantees in the implementation of local Community Development Block Grant programs. more... IDIS Training Manual for CDBG Entitlement Communities This manual explains how to set up, fund, draw funds, and report accomplishments and performance measures for CDBG activities in IDIS. CDBG Training video modules available now CPD's Office of Block Grant Assistance is pleased to provide video training modules on eight components of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The videos are available as webcasts and can be accessed from this site. more... Memo on Fair Housing Agencies Eligible for CDBG Funds HUD released updated guidance on the definition of fair housing organizations in a memorandum dated January 11, 2008 more... 2008 Formula Grant Allocations The official 2008 formula grant allocation amounts are now posted on HUD’s web site. The announcement letters of these allocations have been mailed by HUD to the chief elected officials of each formula grantee. more... Announcing CDBG Toolkits on Crosscutting Issues CPD’s Office of Block Grant Assistance (OBGA) is pleased to announce the release of Toolkits on five crosscutting issues designed to provide Entitlement and State grantees, as well as sub-recipients, with information on crosscutting regulations that apply to the CDBG program. The Toolkits cover five disciplines--financial management, environmental review, federal labor standards, acquisition/relocation, and fair housing and serve as a resource guide for grantees. CDBG Toolkit on Crosscutting Issues Previous News Stories... Related Information   CDBG Grantee Contacts   CDBG Toolkit on Crosscutting Issues   Census Data - 2000   CPD Notices   CPD Monitoring Handbook   CPD Performance Measures/IDIS Revisions   Field Office Directors   Formula Allocations - FY 2008   Guidance for reporting CDBG accomplishments | PDF   Laws & Regulations   Section 108 Project Summaries - 2006 CDBG Reports   CDBG Data Cleanup   CDBG Expenditure Reports   CDBG Accomplishment Data   CDBG Performance Profiles HUD Resources   Guide to National Objectives and Eligible Activities for Entitlement Communities This Guide is designed to help entitlement and urban county grantees understand what activities are eligible to be assisted under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and to guide them in interpreting the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (HCDA). more...   Mailing List Sign up with the CDBG mailing list for up-to-the-minute CDBG Program information. more...   Help Yourself to a Healthy Home: Protect Your Children's Health more... | en Español   The Impact on CDBG Spending on Urban Neighborhoods more...   Use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds to Assist Individual Development Accounts more... Good Stories HUD Funding Creates 20 New Homes In Long Island, N.Y. Thanks to the Community Development Block Grant Program and HOME, 20 Long Island families will soon be moving from their rental apartments into new and beautiful one-family homes in Bellport, Long Island as part of the Hamlet’s effort to create affordable housing for its residents. more... More Good Stories...

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD. The CDBG program provides annual grants on a formula basis to 1180 general units of local government and States.

Program Areas

	Entitlement Communities The CDBG entitlement program allocates annual grants to larger cities and urban counties to develop viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
	State Administered CDBG Also known as the Small Cities CDBG program, States award grants to smaller units of general local government that carry out community development activities. Annually, each State develops funding priorities and criteria for selecting projects.
	Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program CDBG entitlement communities are eligible to apply for assistance through the section 108 loan guarantee program. CDBG non-entitlement communities may also apply, provided their State agrees to pledge the CDBG funds necessary to secure the loan. Applicants may receive a loan guarantee directly or designate another public entity, such as an industrial development authority, to carry out their Section 108 assisted project.
	HUD Administered Small Cities The HUD Honolulu Office directly administers the CDBG program for non-entitlement communities in the State of Hawaii.
	Insular Areas The Insular Areas CDBG program provides grants to four designated insular areas: American Samoa; Guam; Northern Mariana Islands; and the Virgin Islands.
	Disaster Recovery Assistance HUD provides flexible grants to help cities, counties, and States recover from Presidentially declared disasters, especially in low-income areas, subject to availability of supplemental appropriations.
	Neighborhood Stabilization Program HUD provides grants to communities hardest hit by foreclosures and delinquencies to purchase, rehabilitate or redevelop homes and stabilize neighborhoods.
	Colonias Texas, Arizona, California, and New Mexico set aside up to 10 percent of their State CDBG funds for improving living conditions for colonias residents.
	Renewal Communities/ Empowerment Zones/ Enterprise Communities (RC/EZ/EC) This is a program that uses an innovative approach to revitalization, bringing communities together through public and private partnerships to attract the investment necessary for sustainable economic and community development.

About the Program

The CDBG program works to ensure decent affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities, and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of businesses. CDBG is an important tool for helping local governments tackle serious challenges facing their communities. The CDBG program has made a difference in the lives of millions of people and their communities across the Nation.

The annual CDBG appropriation is allocated between States and local jurisdictions called "non-entitlement" and "entitlement" communities respectively. Entitlement communities are comprised of central cities of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs); metropolitan cities with populations of at least 50,000; and qualified urban counties with a population of 200,000 or more (excluding the populations of entitlement cities). States distribute CDBG funds to non-entitlement localities not qualified as entitlement communities.

HUD determines the amount of each grant by using a formula comprised of several measures of community need, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing, and population growth lag in relationship to other metropolitan areas.

Citizen Participation

A grantee must develop and follow a detailed plan that provides for and encourages citizen participation. This integral process emphasizes participation by persons of low or moderate income, particularly residents of predominantly low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, slum or blighted areas, and areas in which the grantee proposes to use CDBG funds. The plan must provide citizens with the following: reasonable and timely access to local meetings; an opportunity to review proposed activities and program performance; provide for timely written answers to written complaints and grievances; and identify how the needs of non-English speaking residents will be met in the case of public hearings where a significant number of non-English speaking residents can be reasonably expected to participate.

Eligible Activities

Over a 1, 2, or 3-year period, as selected by the grantee, not less than 70 percent of CDBG funds must be used for activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. In addition, each activity must meet one of the following national objectives for the program: benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or address community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available.