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Mayors

Nation's Mayors Urge Protection of Community Development Block Grant Program

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The U.S. Conference of Mayors and bipartisan mayors across the country are urging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development to reject any proposals that would eliminate or reduce funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The CDBG program, administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, plays a vital role in supporting local infrastructure investments, economic development, housing construction projects, and public safety programs. With a budget of $3.3 billion, the program supports Americans in over 1,200 cities and has been a bipartisan success story for half a century.

Key Takeaways:

  • The CDBG program is a $3.3 billion program that distributes funds to support local infrastructure investments, economic development, housing construction projects, and public safety programs in over 1,200 cities.
  • The program has been a bipartisan success story for half a century, with support from nine presidential administrations and both Democratic- and Republican-controlled Congresses.
  • CDBG has provided safe and affordable housing to more than 2.1 million households since FY 2005.
  • USCM President Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt emphasizes that CDBG is the primary tool used in local communities to revitalize low and moderate-income neighborhoods and serve the people who live in them.
  • The nation's mayors urge Congress to prioritize programs that work, citing CDBG's transparency and cost-effectiveness.
  • First enacted in 1974 under the leadership of President Gerald Ford, CDBG has been championed by bipartisan mayors across the country.
  • A recent survey by USCM found that a majority of mayors see changes to federal housing program funding like CDBG as having a major to severe impact on their ability to develop affordable housing in their cities.
  • CDBG Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR) has previously defended the program, stating it supports decision-making at the local level to meet critical economic development needs.
  • The THUD Subcommittee is scheduled to markup HUD's 2026 fiscal year appropriations bill today, where the fate of CDBG funding will be decided.

Statistics:

  • The CDBG program distributes funds to support over 1,200 cities across the country.
  • The program has a budget of $3.3 billion.
  • CDBG has provided safe and affordable housing to more than 2.1 million households since FY 2005.
  • A majority of mayors in a recent USCM survey see changes to federal housing program funding like CDBG as having a major to severe impact on their ability to develop affordable housing in their cities.

Sources:

  • U.S. Conference of Mayors
  • Press Release, "Nation's Mayors Urge Protection of Community Development Block Grant Program by House Appropriations Subcommittee on THUD"
  • https://www.usmayors.org/2025/07/14/nations-mayors-urge-protection-of-community-development-block-grant-program-by-house-appropriations-subcommittee-on-thud/

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