Community Development & Housing
The Community Development and Housing Division is responsible for obtaining and managing state and federal grants which help further the city’s overall community development objectives. Over the years, accomplishments include:
Street and sidewalk improvements along many of the city’s entryways, including street trees, curb re-setting and other safety and beautification improvements
Improvements to public facilities such as parks and playgrounds and various city buildings including the
The provision of essential public services ranging from after school programs for youth to assistance to senior citizens to police walking patrols and drug enforcement activities.
Demolition of hundreds of unsafe and abandoned buildings throughout the city.
Construction of new energy-efficient single family housing and rehabilitation of affordable housing throughout the city’s older neighborhoods.
The Federal Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), which is in its 37th year of existence provides the basic funding necessary to administer and manage many of these activities and well as to successfully obtain millions of dollars each year in competitive state and federal grants used to rebuild and redevelop critical zones within the city – encouraging job creation, business investment and growth of the city’s tax base.