HR0234 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0234 LRB094 11606 CSA 43976 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program was enacted and signed into law by President Gerald Ford as the centerpiece of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; and

WHEREAS, The CDBG program has as its primary objective "the development of viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income"; and

WHEREAS, The CDBG program has considerable flexibility to allow communities to carry out activities that are tailored to their unique affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization needs; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its 30-year history, the CDBG program has been a partnership among federal, state, and local governments, business, and the non-profit sector which carry out activities that improve lives and neighborhoods of low and moderate income families; and

WHEREAS, According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, in FY 2004, the CDBG program provided funds for thousands of activities, assisting over 23 million persons and households through such activities as expanding home-ownership programs, eliminating slums and blighting influences, improving infrastructure such as roads, water, and sewer systems, libraries, community centers, adult day care and after school care for children, homeless housing facilities, employment training, transportation services, crime awareness, and business and job creation; and

WHEREAS, Cook County serves as a CDBG program pass-though source for municipalities and service providers who do not qualify to receive funds directly because of population, making these funds vital to programs serving residents of the county; and

WHEREAS, The loss of these funds would be a devastating blow to those organizations that can least afford it; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United States Congress to preserve the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program within the Department of Housing and Urban Development and provide FY 2006 funding of at least $4.7 billion in formula funding; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the President of the United States and all members of Congress who represent Illinois.