Community Development Block Grants

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General Information

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) is a program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, also known as HCD. HCD has published a 2025 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) in their CDBG program, which can be accessed on their NOFA page. 

Activities

The types of activities CDBG will pay for include:

1) Public service and Planning

2) Programs, specifically Housing Programs, and Economic Development Programs

3) Projects, meaning a) Public Facilities Projects, like sidewalks or a park, b) Infrastructure Projects, like sewer and drainage, or utility and broadband lines, and c) Housing Projects, like affordable housing for senior citizens. 

Purpose

All CDBG-funded activities must meet the National Objective of "Benefit to Low and Moderate Income Persons."

The maximum combined application may be for $3.6 million. At least 70% of funds awarded must benefit low and moderate-income individuals or households. 

Costs

Seven percent (7%) of an award may be used for the general administration costs of running a program or project. All costs must be 

1. eligible, 

2. necessary, 

3. reasonable, 

4. not used to supplant local or state resources, 

5. guarded against fraud. 

The Proposed Application

The Department proposes to make an application for:

$1.5 million, along with approximately $45,000 of Program Income on hand, for continuation of the Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Deferred Loan Program for low-income homeowners to make certain repairs to their homes, including Health & Safety issues, building code problems, and incipient failures, like a leaking roof. 

$1.8 million for a Project to work on sidewalks, curbs and gutters, with ADA ramp(s), and upgrading the traffic signal at the intersection of Anna Sparks Way and Central Avenue, and potentially other activities for the benefit of the We Are Up community development serving senior citizens, people with disabilities, and students, located in McKinleyville.

$300,000 to satisfy a Planning need of the Humboldt Community Services District, like a comprehensive study of the infrastructure to identify and evaluate the water and wastewater system improvements necessary to support potential subdivision and development along the Walnut Drive corridor between Cutten and Ridgewood, both individually and cumulatively.