Community Development
Block Grant / Home Improvement
Partnership Program
The City of Ocala receives annual Federal grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The CDBG program's three national objectives are to provide decent housing, create suitable living environments and expand economic opportunities for moderate, low and extremely low income persons.
Locally adopted objectives include increasing the number of standard condition affordable housing units; creating suitable living environments through neighborhood revitalization; improving services for youth; and improving services and housing for special needs groups including elderly, developmentally disabled, handicapped and the homeless.
PROVIDE DECENT HOUSING
Housing Rehabilitation CDBG funds are used to repair owner-occupied housing in the City. Last year, the City helped 47 households. The average age of the householder was 60; most were female-headed households. There are 155 households on a waiting list that are interested in assistance.
New Construction Previous years' CDBG funds purchased the property for the Habitat for Humanity 17-home Blitchton Village site and paid for part of the infrastructure (water, sewer and roads) construction. CDBG funds have partially financed infrastructure improvements at their new subdivision, Proverbs Landing, at NE 16th Avenue and 30th St.
CDBG funds are helping build infrastructure at Ocala Housing Authority's Paradise Trails project building 28 single-family homes at the 3200 block of NE 14th St.
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION
Park Improvements - A four-year improvement project at Lillian Bryant Park, including trail improvements, playground improvements, basketball court roof-over and construction of a large multi-purpose room was completed. CDBG funded part of the Aquatic Center at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Complex. CDBG funds are being currently being used in the Martin Luther King Recreation Complex Beautification Project and athletic field irrigation. CDBG funds are also to be used for renovation of the old CDS building on Martin Luther King Blvd. as a senior center.
Revitalization / Economic Development
- Childhood Development Services provides 400 subsidized day-care slots for children of working parents.
- Greater Ocala Community Development Corporation (GOCDC) provides business development activities, microenterprise assistance, and job training in West Ocala.
- Marion County Literacy Council provides one-on-one tutoring to assist in literacy training, enhancing job skills and self-sufficiency.
Clearance & Demolition - Funds the removal, in response to citizen complaints, of dangerous and unsafe structures.
Most (over 85%) of the CDBG program dollars benefit activities in West Ocala.
YOUTH SERVICES
- Arnette House - Partially funded construction of a learning center and added shelter improvements at a homeless youth shelter.
- Family Visitation Center - Partial salaries are paid to staff a safe, home-like setting for children in foster care to visit with their biological parents, assisting over 60 households.
- Marion County Children’s Advocacy Center – Provides counseling to children who are victims of abuse.
- Marion County Public Schools Howard Academy tutoring – Provides tutoring in math, reading & critical thinking schools.
- STARS - Offers transportation from public & subsidized housing to supervised recreation activities, transporting over 300 children/year.
SPECIAL NEEDS
- Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) - Helps 21 developmentally disabled individuals to live independently by providing supportive living coaches.
- Domestic Violence Shelter - Provides counseling to over 250 spouse abuse victims and their children-at-risk in a homeless shelter for domestic violence victims.
- Homeless Management Information System - Pays matching funds for a system through United Way linking homeless assistance providers to provide a more efficient delivery of services and support.
IMPACT
Last year, programs assisted with the Community Development Block Grant benefited over 5,000 people.
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS
The City Council of Ocala makes annual funding decisions on the use of these funds. Council's decision for funding distribution is based on public hearings, written proposals and recommendations provided by the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC). Using written proposals, priority needs assessments and public hearings as tools, the five-member Council-appointed advisory committee reviews all proposed CDBG activities and uses. The CDAC, with information from community groups, produces an annual priority needs assessment confirmed by City Council. During May, 2006, the CDAC conducted two public hearings and one public workshop to produce a series of Council recommendations. On July 25, 2006, City Council received comments during a public hearing and adopted the Action Plan that set the funding for this year's CDBG activities.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Oneida Darley, Chair
Beverly Baker
Rev. Harold Damon
Brad Nimmo
Cory Pool
For more information contact Community Programs!
:: CDBG Documents ::