Atlanta, GA – Commissioner Christopher Nunn announced today that forty Georgia communities will receive more than $35 million in federal grants to help grow their local economies. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated the annual funds to the State’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The awarded communities are comprised of counties and cities statewide which will implement an array of community development projects across the state including housing improvement projects, public facilities such as water and sewer lines or street improvements and buildings such as local health centers or senior centers.
“Community Development Block Grants are impactful tools that benefit all parts of the state, especially rural Georgia,” stated DCA Commissioner Christopher Nunn. “These awards represent locally-driven city and county solutions that will improve the quality of life for many Georgians.”
The State CDBG program is available to eligible non-entitlement local governments. The annual grants support community projects, facilitate creation of jobs, and assist low and moderate-income citizens. This year’s grant awards will fund $30.5 million in infrastructure projects, $3.8 million in housing projects, and $3 million in various building projects.
Since 2012, the CDBG program’s investments in new and enhanced health care facilities have helped more than 39,000 Georgians gain access to improved health care services, primarily in hard-to-reach areas. Over the last 10 years, the CDBG program has provided the resources for critical water and sewer improvements to serve more than 143,000 residents in rural areas. The program has also supported the construction or enhancement of community facilities that serve more than 46,000 youth and senior citizens.
The CDBG grants are awarded on a competitive basis. Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs received 66 applications requesting more than $59 million, according to KimberlyCarter, DCA’s Director of Community Finance. The applications are scored, rated, and ranked with grants awarded based on the applicant’s overall ranking.
A complete list of 2022 CDBG awards is available here as well as linked below.