The week of April 11 – April 15, 2022 is National Community Development Week. This nationally designated week provides communities like Jacksonville the opportunity to talk about how federal funding helps locally. CDBG funds, or the Community Block Development Grant program, awards the City funds each year to use for improving neighborhoods and provide services for those who qualify for housing assistance, home rehabilitation and demolition services.
The CDBG Program provides annual funding and flexibility to local communities to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing, a suitable living environment and economic opportunities to low- and moderate-income people. Jacksonville has infused more than $850,000 of CDBG dollars into the community and with significant impact since 2015, helping to remove slum and blight, build and rehabilitate existing structures that are now safe to live in.
Jacksonville's Neighborhood Improvement Services coordinates the use of the federal grant program for the City. Neighborhood Improvement Services Director, Tracy Jackson says, "This funding is used to help lift up the community, improve our neighborhoods and improve local tax bases. Our goal is to assist in and educate Citizens about becoming successful homeowners."
Mayor Sammy Phillips presented Tracy Jackson and Pamela Trafton of Neighborhood Improvement Services with a proclamation for Community Development Week in Council Chambers, City Hall in celebration of their continued efforts.
Funding is also resourced to local non-profits like Onslow Community Outreach who helps those struggling and homeless, with annual grants to help keep local vital services available to the public. With support of CDBG funding from the City, Onslow Community Outreach has recently completed necessary renovations to operate as a Housing Support enter.
The City of Jacksonville, Neighborhood Improvement Services has successfully utilized CDBG funding to resolve pressing local problems, through neighborhood revitalization such as the Neighborhood Housing Initiative that consists of construction of affordable housing and has built and assisted over 30 families with homeownership, housing rehabilitation programs and assisted over 15 families with rehabilitation, demolition and clearance of dilapidated structures of nearly 160 since 2010, funding for non-profit public service organizations, and recently prevented the spread of the Corona Virus by assisting 252 households in utility assistance.
Media Contact: Tracy Jacksonville, Director of Neighborhood Services, 910 938-5286