From launching a new homeless shelter, to helping a woman who is losing her eyesight develop the life skills she needs to remain living in her home independently, Tampa's residents have benefited in countless ways from federal grant programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant.
For this reason, from April 10-14, the City of Tampa will join cities across the country to educate both members of the public and Congressional officials about the significance of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and (HOME) Investment Partnerships. Since its inception in 1989, the City of Tampa has received more than $140 million from the CDBG program, which is used to support housing rehabilitation, emergency rental assistance, affordable housing development, home purchase assistance for income-eligible families, among other services. On average, the City of Tampa receives between $2 million to $5 million CDBG dollars a year. This money is used to fund city programs and other approved programs run by local non-profits.
"CDBG may just be an acronym to you, but to others, it can be life changing. These federal dollars are the backbone to our affordable housing efforts, which range from homeless services, all the way to buying a home for the very first time," said Mayor Jane Castor. "Our Housing and Community Development team is responsible for managing and distributing these federal funds to our programs and partners every year and this week we want to take the time to celebrate the staff's hard work, while also ensuring elected officials at both the national and state level know how important these programs are to our communities."
Throughout this week, the City of Tampa's social media accounts will be joining the national CDBG Week campaign by releasing a special educational video series on the unique ways these federally funded programs directly impact our local residents. Tune in to @CityofTampa to celebrate National Community Development Block Grant Week with us.
Meet Nathan "Nat" Wadell, a local U.S. Army veteran, who received assistance from Tampa Hope and is transitioning back into the workforce after months of homelessness.