The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This program provides eligible metropolitan cities and urban counties with annual grants to be used for neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, to expand economic opportunities, and/or improve community facilities and services. All projects and programs must principally benefit low and moderate-income persons.
The priorities for CDBG are approved by the Fort Pierce City Commission, following Community Needs Assessment Surveys, public hearings for citizen input and staff recommendations, thus allowing local government to respond to needs within their community.
Current priorities for the City of Fort Pierce’s CDBG Program include: revitalizing eligible neighborhoods, providing services to low-to-moderate income citizens, improving economic opportunities, strengthening small businesses and community focal points, and upgrading public facilities. The city also encourages projects and programs assisted by other funding sources to help leverage its CDBG allocation.
The City of Fort Pierce receives approximately $500,000 annually to disperse toward these priorities. Grant opportunities are available yearly for public service agencies on a competitive basis. Applications are scored by the Communitywide Council, a group of Fort Pierce citizen volunteers, and their recommendations for funding are presented for approval to the City Commission.
Fair Housing
HUD defines fair housing choice as “the ability of persons of similar incomes to have available to them the same housing choices regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. Policies, practices or procedures that appear neutral on their face but operate to deny or adversely affect the provisions of housing to persons (in any particular protected class) may constitute such impediments.”
The City of Fort Pierce developed its 2016-2020 Analysis of Fair Housing Report in 2016.
The report includes:
*A review of a City’s laws, regulations, and administrative policies, procedures, and practices;
*An assessment of how those laws, police,s and practices affect the location availability and accessibility of housing; and
*An assessment of public and private sector conditions affecting fair housing choice.