You might have heard your community leaders mention “CDBG” when discussing our City’s resources for improving neighborhoods.

So what is CDBG anyway?

CDBG stands for Community Development Block Grant been around for 42 years! This is funding that Congress budgets every year. The City receives its share of CDBG from the federal Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) to address a wide range of community development needs—from neighborhood improvements to public services to economic development to affordable housing—to name just a few.

In the City, CDBG funds are managed by HCIDLA and distributed according to community needs through an annual Consolidated Planning process. The Mayor, City Council, and the community have an opportunity to provide input and then funds are allocated to various City departments and nonprofit organizations to implement needed activities. You might see this in your community through services provided by FamilySource Centers, domestic violence shelters, or local senior centers; through improvements / renovations to parks and community centers; or through BusinessSource services and loan programs that support small businesses.

“Can I get CDBG funds?”

If you’re wondering where you can sign up, CDBG funds are actually not available to individuals or awarded directly to people. The City distributes CDBG funds to programs like the Small Business Loan program or the FamilySource Center program. Some of these programs are managed by City Departments, and some are operated by nonprofit or other public organizations. In those cases, the City will conduct a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to select nonprofits or contractors to implement programs using CDBG money. Non-profits can stay informed about CDBG-funding opportunities through the City’s BAVN, or Business Assistance Virtual Network.

However, you definitely could and should be involved in the decision-making…everyone is encouraged to attend our Community Outreach Meetings, which will eventually be announced on this blog.

How are we doing?

Check out the link below to see what we accomplished during our last program year:

https://hcidla.lacity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/py41_draft_for_public_comment.pdf?download=1

So next time you notice something great being built, you just might have CDBG to thank!

(Photo Credit: Brenda Sykes)