Community Development
Block Grant Program
The
Office for Small Cities administers the Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) Program for the State of
The
NYS CDBG program provides financial assistance to eligible cities, towns, and
villages with populations under 50,000 and counties with an area population
under 200,000, in order to develop viable communities by providing decent,
affordable housing and suitable living environments, and expanding economic
opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.
The
state must ensure that not less than 70% of its CDBG funds are used for
activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. The program objectives are achieved by
supporting activities or projects that benefit low- and moderate-income
families, create job opportunities for low- and moderate income persons,
prevent or eliminate slums or blight, or address a community development need
that poses a serious and imminent threat to the health or welfare of the
community
The
Office for Small Cities is a subsidiary public benefit corporation of the New
York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation and a member of the team at the New
York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.
The
Budget proposes statutory amendments to conform the state’s Community Services
Block Grant Program to the federal Community Services Block Grant Program and
make permanent the distribution formula for funds received under this federal
program.
The
federal law authorizing the Community Services Block Grant Program (42
This
bill amends Executive Law §§159-e et seq. to conform to current federal law
governing administration of the Community Services Block Grant Program.
Specifically, the bill updates the definition of eligible entities and the
formula for state distribution of federal funding allocations, and adds
provisions to govern funding reductions, eligible entity decertification and
the designation of new entities to serve unserved areas.
In
addition, this bill amends Executive Law §159-i to make the formula for state
distribution of federal funding allocations permanent. Historically, the
distribution formula has been extended annually to authorize distribution of
federal funding allocations, and the current authority is scheduled to sunset
on
For More information go to
Article
Part
R, Transportation Economic Development and Environmental Conservation
S6809 (www.senate.state.ny.us) or A9809 (www.assembly.state.ny.us)
For More information on the Budget
Amendments to the CDBG Program contact
The Office for Small Cities
For information on the Federal Community
Services Block Grant Program
http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/entitlement/
Budget
Implications:
The
Department of State has administered the Community Services Block Grant Program
since 1982. The Department's authority to distribute CSBG funds is predicated
upon the receipt of funding from the Federal government and its compliance with
federal program requirements. The Department anticipates continued Federal
funding for the CSBG Program and the State financial plan assumes these funds
will be disbursed during the 2008-09 State fiscal year.