Community Development Block Grant

The City of Seattle’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program channels between $12 million and $13 million annually in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via the City of Seattle to various programs that help low- and moderate-income Seattle individuals, families and communities.

The funding comes to the City’s CDBG program office, in the Human Services Department, and is distributed to the Office of Economic Development, Office of Housing and community-based social service agencies to help pay for various programs and projects. CDBG staff also ensures compliance with federal regulations, monitors national developments affecting CDBG funding, and represents the City to HUD.

About one-third of the CDBG money that comes to Seattle each year is used to support programs that provide emergency shelter and transitional housing to homeless individuals and families. Another third supports economic and community development programs in southeast Seattle and is funneled through the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund. The final third is used to build and preserve affordable housing, provide home repairs for low-income residents, and improve buildings used by social service agencies to run their programs.

Overview of City’s CDBG-funded programs

The Community Development Block Grant program is governed by the policies and strategies outlined in Seattle's Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development

Economic Stimulus Funds for Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing

The City of Seattle will receive $5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HRRP). HPRP is a new program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. These new federal funds are designed to provide financial assistance and services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and to help those who are homeless move quickly into stable housing.

Seattle’s HPRP allocation is subject to HUD’s approval of a Substantial Amendment to the City’s 2008 Consolidated Plan. The proposed amendment describing Seattle’s Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program funding plan is available for public review. View the proposed amendment documents submitted to HUD on May 18, 2009.

For more information about the HPRP program please contact:

Andrea Akita, Senior Planner
Seattle Human Services Department
PO Box 34215
Seattle WA 98124-4215
E-mail: andrea.akita@seattle.gov
(206) 684-0113

Information about the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program on the HUD Homeless Resource Exchange:
www.hudhre.info/HPRP/

Information about City of Seattle Recovery Act programs at Recovery.Seattle.Gov:
www.seattle.gov/mayor/issues/recovery/

Economic Stimulus Funds for Community Development Block Grant-Recovery

The City of Seattle is eligible to receive $3.2 million from the HUD Community Development Block Grant-Recovery program (CDBG-R). Projects proposed for CDBG-R funds will accomplish economic development, one of primary objectives of the federal Recovery Act, by providing small businesses in Seattle with needed access to credit, reimbursement of one-time capital improvement costs for public facilities that provide basic services to Seattle residents and for critical repairs to two public housing buildings. The funds will focus on job creation and retention as well as service to disadvantaged communities.

Seattle’s Community Development Block Grant-Recovery funding plan is available for public review. View the list of proposed projects. For printed copies of this information call (206) 684-0288.

Public Hearing - the Seattle City Council Housing and Economic Development Committee received comments on the proposed CDBG-R Consolidated Plan amendment at a public hearing held on May 20, 2009.

Comments - on the proposed plan were also received by the Seattle Human Services Department via e-mail and postal mail through May 20, 2009 to:

Michael Look, CDBG Administrator
Seattle Human Services Department
PO Box 34215
Seattle WA 98124-4215
E-mail: michael.look@seattle.gov
(206) 615-1717

To review the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) instructions for substantial amendments relating to CDBG-R funding see the HUD Notice of Program Requirements.