SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO—Each year, the federal government invests billions of dollars in American communities like Summit County through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The program, created in 1974 by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides local governments with financial resources to assist low and moderate-income residents. Each community’s allocation is based on population. In Summit County, Executive Ilene Shapiro’s Department of Community and Economic Development administers the program on behalf of county residents outside of Akron, Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls; these cities receive their own CDBG funds.
In 2020, the Executive’s staff worked with 14 different community partners to distribute over $412,000 for a diverse array of community projects. From education and public service projects to economic development and services for seniors, Summit County leveraged these funds to support improvement and revitalization on behalf of county residents.
“Community Development Block Grants are essential tools in our work to make Summit County the best place to live, work and play,” said Executive Shapiro. “Working with our community partners, we use CDBG funds to support projects that improve the lives of Summit County residents, especially those most in need.”
While the Community Development Block Grant Program represents about less than 1% of the entire federal budget, the funds have a significant impact on local communities. According to the National Community Development Association (NCDA), the CDBG Program attracts investment in underserved communities, with every $1 of CDBG funds leveraging another $4 in private investment. NCDA also estimates over 50 million people nationwide have benefitted from CDBG-funded public improvements and over 450,000 CDBG-related jobs have been created since 2005.
This week, communities around the country are celebrating National Community Development Week, designed to focus local, as well as national attention on the CDGB program. The awareness campaign was created in 1986 to bring attention to the CDBG Program at a time when the program was facing scrutiny in Congress.
For questions about Summit County’s CDBG Program, contact Holly Miller at hmiller@summitoh.net or 330-643-8013.
