Local CDBG program appears to be funded
A $1 trillion omnibus spending bill that funds the federal government through Sept. 30 appears to preserve $3 billion nationally for the Community Development Block Grant program, according to William McGowen, executive director of Washington County Redevelopment Authority.
Washington County communities receiving money every year from the program include California, Canonsburg, Donora, Monongahela and Washington. The other 60 municipalities receive an allocation of about $50,000 every four years. Municipalities use the federal money for a variety of projects, including road and sidewalk repairs, park improvements and demolition of dilapidated buildings.
The omnibus spending bill passed Wednesday in the House, and its approval is soon expected in the Senate, according to an Associated Press report.
Washington County communities received about $3.6 million in 2016 for community development projects. The program also encourages home ownership for those in low-income brackets, offering home-buyer assistance and home rehabilitation that allows people to age in place rather than resorting to much more expensive nursing homes or assisted living.
“I don’t know if we know conclusively,” McGowen said. “It’s not a done deal yet, but it’s close to it.”
The staff of the redevelopment authority, which administers the CDBG program for Washington County, is monitoring news reports. Projects slated for 2017 could have experienced decreased funding without an omnibus budget agreement.
What happens with the 2017-18 CDBG budget is anyone’s guess. President Donald Trump zeroed out the program in his budget proposal.