The federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a principal revenue source for local communities to address the roots and consequences of poverty. The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development administers the program on a national basis and awards grants annually to entitlement communities, including Burlington, on a formula basis. The City in turn awards grants to local organizations as well as operating several CDBG-funded programs. The City's Consolidated Plan for Housing & Community Development governs the Community Development Block Grant Program.  The City is developing its new Consolidated Plan now, and is seeking public comment on the proposed Plan through April 28, 2008.  You can view the proposed Plan here.  You can comment by e-mail to mbozik@ci.burlington.vt.us or with oral or written comments to the Community & Economic Development Office at Room 32, City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington, VT   05401, (802) 865-7144 or (802) 865-7142 (TTY).  Comments must be accompanied by a name and address to be considered. You can view the current Consolidated Plan here. It took effect on July 1, 2003, and runs through June 20, 2008. The City's 2008 Action Plan for Housing & Community Development outlines spending and action items for the program year beginning July 1, 2008. You can view the proposed Action Plan here. The Plan incorporates the recommendations of the CDBG Advisory Board on the 2008 CDBG Requests for Funding.  There will be a Public Hearing before City Council on the recommendations and the Action Plan on Monday, April 28, 2008.  You can comment through May 12, 2008, by e-mail to mbozik@ci.burlington.vt.us or with oral or written comments to the Community & Economic Development Office at Room 32, City Hall, 149 Church Street, Burlington, VT   05401, (802) 865-7144 or (802) 865-7142 (TTY).  Comments must be accompanied by a name and address to be considered. The City's 2006 Consolidated Annual Performance & Evaluation Report is available for review here and in the Community & Economic Development Office in City Hall.  There was a Public Hearing before City Council on September 24 to hear comments on the Report and on housing and community development needs generally.

Over the last program year:

• With the help of CDBG and HOME dollars (together with the Housing Trust Fund, inclusionary zoning, and other resources and technical assistance from the Community & Economic Development Office), 58 new affordable housing units are currently under construction or in the predevelopment phase.
• Fifty-seven housing units were rehabbed, with work ranging from new paint to emergency repairs to major rehabilitation.
• CDBG-funded economic development activities supported the start-up of 32 new businesses, helped to retain/expand 19 businesses, and led to the creation of 412.5 permanent FTE jobs (plus 1,156 construction jobs) and the retention of 149 permanent FTE jobs.
• Those expenditures leveraged over $45 million in private and other public investment and supported the development of close to 70,000 square feet of new commercial space, with increased tax revenues of $405,119. (And, each dollar spent on construction is estimated to yield $2.75 additional dollars to the local economy.)
• CDBG dollars helped to provide quality, affordable childcare for 88 children from low- and moderate-income families, sustaining their ability to work.
• Through the help of CDBG grants, over 5,100 people (adults and children) were fed by anti-hunger programs; over 1,500 homeless people (including families with children and victims of domestic violence) had a safe, warm place to sleep; and over 2,100 people kept their heat on.
• Over 300 youth participated in CDBG-funded summertime and after-school recreational, academic and social enrichment programs, and over 1,633 seniors received meals, health care, help with public benefits, in-home assistance and/or participated in social activities.
• The Burlington Neighborhood Project (formerly the Public Safety Project) supported 48 neighborhood associations in low-income neighborhoods citywide.
• CDBG grants helped the start-up of the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV) as well as English as a Second Language courses at the Fletcher Free Library.
• Seventy-three percent of those served by CDBG-funded social service programs were “extremely low” income – which for a family of four in 2007 means an annual income of less than $21,200.
• The gateway park at the northern entrance into the City was enhanced with new curbing on No. Winooski Avenue and the purchase of interpretive plaques.
• Federally-funded street improvement projects moved forward, with scoping complete and preliminary engineering underway for Battery & College Street improvements and planning underway for improvements to Church Street Marketplace sidestreets.
• Community members have taken the initiative to improve their neighborhood streets and parks with over $20,000 in grassroots neighborhood grant spending.

For more information, contact:

Margaret Bozik, Assistant Director for Management, Planning & Communications
802·865·7171

  I Want To:

Apply for CDBG Funding	See Who Applies for CDBG Funds
Become a CDBG Board Member	See Who's on the CDBG Board
See what CDBG Funds Are Spent On

Page last updated January 9, 2008