Pocatello CDBG Program helps fund community projects
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program helps support community development and expand economic opportunities for Pocatello residents who earn below the area median income.
With the help of the Pocatello CDBG program, St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and Social Services (SVDP) at the corner of S. 2nd Avenue and E. Terry Street was able to build a new store entrance, parking lot, wheelchair-accessible ramp, and more. SVDP received $79,500 from the City of Pocatello’s CDGB program. This project has been two years in the making and the project is close to completion. During construction, SVDP has been temporarily closed but plans to reopen Thursday, October 20 at 11 a.m. SVDP will host a ribbon-cutting event Thursday, October 27 at 10:45 a.m.
In addition to the SVDP project, the CDBG program also funded a large-scale facility improvement project at Family Services Alliance, a local agency that provides free and confidential services to victims and survivors of domestic violence. The CDBG program also supports other Pocatello public service agencies through direct grants and maintains the City’s affordable housing stock through its RENEWAL grant and loan program which provides funding to low and moderate-income property owners to complete emergency home repairs, such as roof, HVAC, or sewer line replacements.
CDBG funds are utilized for a variety of housing and community development programs as well as several special projects. The City's consolidated plan for CDBG funding guides the spending of the funds and enables officials and citizens to collectively solve neighborhood and community problems that meet the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) national objectives.
In 1996, the City's population exceeded 50,000 and "entitlement status" from the federal government was achieved. Consequently, Pocatello is entitled to about $400,000 per year in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The administration of these funds is the division's primary focus. For additional information on the CDBG program, click HERE.
