Implementing Community Development: A Study of the Community Development Block Grant Program

摘要

The report emphasizes the implementation of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program during its fifth and sixth years and analyzes local decision processes, intergovernmental issues, program choices, and the distribution of benefits. During this period, HUD became increasingly involved in local execution of the CDBG program via a ''use or lose'' policy. Local decisionmaking systems appeared to have settled into a pattern of executive dominance. Greater citizen activism was apparent with HUD's emphasis on neighborhood revitalization. Generally, local program priorities settled on a neighborhood revitalization strategy focusing on housing rehabilitation and neighborhood public improvements. In the fifth and sixth years, the estimated level of benefits to lower income groups fell slightly below the high of 62 percent in the fourth year. Execution problems were frequent in the CDBG's first 5 years, although communities were making progress in dealing with these problems as the program proceeded. Problems occurred in all of the 52 sample jurisdictions. A lack of experienced personnel and underestimation of costs slowed implementation. Problems most often occurred in housing rehabilitation and related general public improvements. Over 6 years, the CDBG program improved the planning, execution, and management capacity of communities. Study data, chapter footnotes, and appended research forms are included. (Author abstract modified).