HUD Recognized during National Community Development Block Grant Week Celebrated in Spartanburg

Front Row: Mayor Junie White, Mr. Larry Knightner, Columbia, South Carolina HUD Field Office Director. From left to right: Mr. Wes Corrothers, Ms. Lynn Coggins, Ms. Wanda Logan, Mr. Demian Carpenter, Ms. Cathy Brown and Mr. Ed Memmott, City Manager.

The City of Spartanburg recently celebrated National Community Development Block Grant Week at the C.C. Woodson Community Center. Mayor Junie White publically announced and presented the City's Proclamation in appreciation for HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to Mr. Larry Knightner, HUD Field Office Director for the State of South Carolina.

Of particular note is that the C.C. Woodson Community Center (www.cityofspartanburg.org/index.cfm?PageID=262&ParentPageID=31) where the City Proclamation event was held is a two year old, $6 million community center in Spartanburg, South Carolina funded partially by HUD CDBG funds. The center was funded by $308,273 dollars of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds. The remainder of the $6 million dollar construction financing was provided by layered financing (i.e. tax credits, Foundation funds, HOPE VI Funds and other financial sources).

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 1,209 general units of local government and States.

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.

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