Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program supports community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities throughout Elkhart's city limits. To support community development, activities are identified through an ongoing process. Activities may address needs such as infrastructure, economic development projects, public facilities installation, community centers, housing rehabilitation, public services, clearance/acquisition, microenterprise assistance, fair housing outreach and education, code enforcement, homeowner assistance, etc.

Elkhart has designated a specific contiguous area to target some Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding and other resources. This area is known as the CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA) (see map below). This designation was approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and provides several incentives and enhanced flexibilities to help Elkhart achieve its revitalization goals.

The CDBG program provides flexible federal funding to assist the City of Elkhart in addressing community needs. The program does require that each of the projects the City funds with these dollars meet a national objective and be an eligible activity under the CDBG program rules. Funding is very limited, and some activities are subject to maximum spending limits. Submission of an application does not guarantee funding.

National Objectives:

•Benefiting Low / Moderate Income Clientele: Benefit a majority (51%) of low/moderate income persons(low/moderate income residents earn at or below 80% of the area median income, adjusted by family size, as determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Income Limits);

•Urgent Need: Alleviate a serious and immediate threat to the health and/or welfare of the community. Threat must be recent in origin or urgency (previous 18 months) and no other source of funds is available for the program / project.

•Preventing/ Eliminating Slum or Blight areas: Serves to prevent or eliminate conditions of major slum and areas of blight within the community. The slum or blight activity must show specific conditions that pose a threat to public health and safety

Eligible Activities include, but are not limited to:

•Public Facilities & Improvements

•Public Services

•Commercial Building Rehabilitation

•Homeownership Assistance

•Job Training Programs

•Homelessness Prevention