Washington, DC
October 14, 2011

Newton Mayor Setti Warren, Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Community Development and Housing Committee, presided over a strategic telephone call on October 6, to discuss the alarming fact that the House Republicans have reported out more money for our CDBG HUD Block program than Senate Democrats. The House is recommending $3.5 billion and the Senate would provide a lesser amount, $2.85 billion.

C.D. and Housing Chair Warren is requesting mayors to join him here in Washington on November 9 to visit with Senators on the Appropriations Committee and express to them the need to at least match what the House Republicans are recommending.

The CDBG program, providing $3.34 billion directly to cities has, since its 1974 inception, been our keystone program providing direct federal-city funding. During the current economic downturn, mayors continue to express to Washington, The White House, HUD, The House and The Senate, the need to fully fund the last bastion and only multi-billion dollar direct funded program we have.

The ambivalence toward the CDBG program surfaced as far back as last fall when the OMB of the Administration moved to cut the CDBG program by 25 percent.

Conference President Elizabeth Kautz took this issue as a top priority and our actions toward The White House and Congress to protect CDBG were intensified. Deep cuts proposed by the new House Members were thwarted, and local support and bipartisan political action helped. But now, we face a situation with the Senate Democrats that surprises all. And mayors are determined to fight to protect this needed and successful federal initiative.

We thank Newton Mayor Setti Warren for his leadership and we look forward to seeing many of you here in Washington for our CDBG Lobby Day on November 9.