Title
A Resolution fully supporting the vital and successful Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program and urging Congress to reject the 2018 Federal Budget recommendation eliminating the CDBG and HOME Programs.
Body
WHEREAS, the CDBG Program is the centerpiece of the Housing and Community Development Act which was enacted in 1974, and the HOME program was authorized in 1990 as part of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act; and
WHEREAS, the CDBG Program is intended to assist urban communities with providing decent and suitable housing and living environments for low-to-moderate income people and expand economic opportunities for same; while the HOME program is intended to expand the supply of decent, affordable housing for lower income people; and
WHEREAS, the City of West Allis (the “City”) is an entitlement community and annually receives a direct allocation of CDBG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the City is a member of the HOME Consortium with Milwaukee County and the City of Wauwatosa and annually receives HOME funds from the Consortium lead member, Milwaukee County; and
WHEREAS, both programs provide the City of West Allis the ability to carry out activities relating to affordable housing, direct public services to low-to-moderate income individuals, and neighborhood revitalization needs in low-to-moderate income areas, which could not otherwise be accomplished; and
WHEREAS, the City of West Allis has utilized its CDBG allocation of just over $7,000,000, and over $1,200,000 in program income, in the following manner in the past five years: approved 18 economic development loans, creating over 120 full-time jobs in West Allis, of which over 60 were to low-to-moderate income people; approved 14 façade grants, eliminating blighting conditions at 14 different businesses; provided services to roughly 680 senior citizens each year, such as in-person visits, home chores, shopping trips, telephone check-ups, etc.; provided child care services and educational playgroups to roughly 160 low-to-moderate income individuals each year; provided domestic violence support group services to approximately 50 individuals each year; provided extra police presence in targeted low-to-moderate income areas; provided Neighborhood Watch newsletters and promoted the block watch captain program in low-to-moderate income areas; provided smoke/CO detector and raised garden bed installation in hundreds of homes; provided street tree and flower plantings in low-to-moderate income areas; provided roughly $750,000 worth of new playground equipment and park improvements to two (2) parks in low-to-moderate income areas; provided bike infrastructure improvements in low-to-moderate income areas; provided business training programs for West Allis entrepreneurs; and provided housing rehabilitation loans to 54 low-to-moderate income homeowners/units; and
WHEREAS, the City of West Allis has utilized its HOME allocation of just under $1,000,000, and just under $1,500,000 in program income, in the following manner in the past five years: provided housing rehabilitation loans to 19 low-to-moderate income homeowners/units; built four (4) new construction single-family homes which were sold to low-to-moderate income families, and provided increased property values in the City; and
WHEREAS, West Allis has not yet been awarded FY2017 CDBG or HOME funds, but if the allocation trend of receiving approximately $1,100,000 per year in CDBG funds, and $195,000 per year in HOME funds continues, the City of West Allis will use CDBG and HOME funds to accomplish housing rehabilitation activities for low-to-moderate income homeowners, direct public services to low-to-moderate income individuals, and neighborhood revitalization services in low-to-moderate income areas; and
WHEREAS, the President's FY 2018 budget process proposes to cut both the CDBG and HOME programs; and
WHEREAS, should such a proposal be enacted, it would have a devastating effect on the City of West Allis by eliminating the aforementioned housing, social service, and neighborhood revitalization programs and activities in the City of West Allis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of West Allis, Wisconsin, hereby calls on the Congress to preserve the vital and successful CDBG and HOME Programs in the 2018 Federal Budget.
ADM\ORDRES\2017\2017.19