As a part of National Community Development Week, the Conference of Mayors is sharing success stories daily on what Community Development Block Grants support in our nation’s cities. 

Santa Fe, NM

In 2009, the City of Santa Fe utilized CDBG funds to provide solar lights in three low/mod income Census tract parks:  Monica Lucero, Salvador Perez, and Frenchy’s.  The city was the direct recipient of $95,961 to furnish 25 solar street lights and contributed $15,000 of its own funds for a total budget of $110,961.  These lights serve a total CT population of 4,963 households, of which 65 percent are low to moderate-income.

The City of Santa Fe utilized CDBG funding in 2011-2013 to provide two stages of acquisition and rehabilitation of the historic Old Route 66 Stage Coach Inn motor lodge that was converted to a Low/Moderate Income Rental Housing project: $85,000 filled a gap in funding for land acquisition and $126,600 for environmental remediation and rehabilitation, and  LIHTC was awarded to construct 60 units with 15 reserved for transitional homeless units.   The project serves between 60-85 individuals to date. Stage Coach featured energy improvements, historic preservation and would not have been fully realized if not for the ability to reprogram CDBG funding from previously canceled projects.

St. Louis, MO

Through the assistance of CDBG, in March of 2016, the St. Louis Community Credit Union, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), opened the new Gateway Branch located at 3412 N. Union in an economically distressed area.  The new state of the art facility is located on the site of the former Gateway Bank which was established in 1965 as the first and only minority-owned commercial bank in Missouri.   The Gateway Branch offers affordable loans and account services; advanced technology with Interactive Teller Solution (ITS) access – a fast and easy way for members to do their banking; expanded full-service drive-up lanes for ultimate on-the-go convenience; caring staff that comes from the communities served, and free financial counseling. St. Louis Community Credit Union was awarded $500,000 in CDBG funds and the total development cost was $1,379,278.    Since opening in March of 2016, the credit union has processed a total of 225,000 transactions; opened 1,042 new savings accounts; and closed approximately $970,000 in loans to its members.