The City of Madison is currently participating in a week-long effort to recognize the ways city officials are working to strengthen communities throughout the area.
National Community Development Week recognizes efforts to improve the lives of city residents, particularly the work of the Community Development Block Grant program and HOME Investment Partnerships, according to a city statement.
The city uses National Community Development week as an opportunity to highlight the programs and community development efforts throughout Madison, Mary Charnitz, CDBG Office spokesperson said.
“National Community Development Week is a good time to raise awareness of all of the efforts the city has done to reinforce community development activities all over the city of Madison,” Charnitz said.
Both the CDBG and HOME programs are federally funded and provide grants to improve city communities, according to the statement. These programs help craft neighborhood approaches to improving the physical, economic and social conditions in communities, as well as creating safe, sanitary and affordable housing conditions, the statement said.
Community development is critical to the health of Madison, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said.
As part of National Development Week, the city officials plan to reflect on the accomplishments of the city’s Community Development Division, according to the statement.
With the help of the CDBG and HOME programs, during the last five years 484 lower income households have been able to purchase their first home, and more than 1,000 of them have benefited from the creation or improvement of affordable rental housing, the statement said.
Additionally, more than 300 individuals from lower income households have obtained jobs, and more than 410,000 lower income individuals have benefited from a neighborhood center, the statement said.
“Funding towards these efforts is so significant and so is the effect on the community,” Charnitz said.
According to the statement, both the CDBG and the HOME programs have faced significant cuts throughout the past few years.
Charnitz said Madison’s Community Development Division has not yet received formal notification on what the cuts will look like for the upcoming fiscal year. The office is still waiting to hear back from the federal government, she said.
The reductions in funding can be detrimental to the program, Charnitz said. It has an effect on the work it is able to do, which can result in fewer housing units, neighborhood center support and jobs for low-income individuals, she added.
“Each time we get a reduction, we have to reduce an activity and we are able to accomplish less,” Charnitz said.
In addition to utilizing programs like CDBG and HOME, the city also fosters community development in other ways, Verveer said.
The City Council recently passed a resolution regarding community development, Verveer said. While the resolution is mostly symbolic, it is a reminder to everyone in the city how important these programs are, he said.
“The idea of community development and the good work of the programs in Madison are really vital to the community,” Verveer said.