Press Release


THE U. S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT NATIONAL AWARDS RECIPIENTS

Cities and Counties Honored During the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Community Development Block Grant Program in San Francisco

Washington, DC (May 26, 1999) -- The United States Conference of Mayors, the Large Urban County Caucus of the National Association of Counties and the National Community Development Association are pleased to jointly announce the recipients of this year’s National Community Development Innovation Awards. The awards will be presented at the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Community Development Block Grant Program at the San Francisco Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts between 9 – Noon on Wednesday, May 26, 1999.

"The cities and counties we are honoring with this award have developed outstanding innovative programs through the CDBG that have effectively addressed their unique neighborhood revitalization needs," said Charles Box, Mayor of Rockford, IL and co-chairman of the CDBG 25th Anniversary Task Force.

The Community Development Block Grant program was signed into law by President Gerald Ford in 1974 and is considered the Federal Government’s most successful program. CDBG provides an annual predictable level of funding to cities and counties, which are used with maximum flexibility to help with a neighborhood’s community development needs.

NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS:

  • Mayor Deedee Corradini, Salt Lake City, UT – ‘Our House Child Care and Education Center/Homeless Children’s Foundation’

Our House, Salt Lake City’s unique child care center for homeless and low-income children, combines CDBG resources with local funding and community support to provide a stable, nurturing environment for the most vulnerable and valuable members of the community.

Through the CDBG, the city has provided down payment assistance to help low-income residents purchase and occupy standard housing. In addition, the city formed three Community Development Corporations to promote homeownership and neighborhood revitalization.

Gang intervention programs, counseling and job training have proved successful in motivating individuals to detach themselves from their gang affiliated tattooed identity. To increase job opportunities, the county offers tattoo removal services for all eligible persons from low-income households.

The County used CDBG funds to support the Families First Development Center, a 14-unit efficiency apartment facility offering homeless families, particularly young single mothers and their children, one year of stable subsidized housing as part of a self-help program.

In September 1998, the Mayor Bost and the National Basketball Association All-Star Chris Gatling opened a new recreation facility, named for the basketball player, in the restored former Police Athletic League building. The Center is providing structured recreational, athletic, educational and cultural programs that have not been available to the community in years.

Building with Care is a program developed with Hennepin County CDBG funds providing home accessibility modifications by Tree Trust, a non-profit corporation that trains and employs special needs youth and adults by having them participate in meaningful community projects.

The United States Conference of Mayors is a national non-partisan organization representing cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are approximately 1100 of these cities nationwide.