HR0259 LRB094 11860 CSA 44251 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Community Development Block Grant Program
3 administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and
4 Economic Opportunity has served as a foundation upon which
5 local governments across Illinois have created jobs, developed
6 affordable housing, stabilized neighborhoods, and provided
7 important public services for all Illinois citizens, including
8 those economically disadvantaged and disabled, for the past 23
9 years; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The United States Office of Management and Budget
11 recommends the consolidation of 18 federal community
12 development programs into a single program which will be housed
13 in the United States Department of Commerce; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The United States Office of Management and Budget
15 proposal further recommends that the administration of
16 community development and other programs be placed at the
17 federal level despite the fact that Illinois has responsibly
18 and effectively managed the program for 23 years; and
 
19     WHEREAS, As a result of this consolidation, programs with
20 combined budgets totaling nearly $5.7 billion will be squeezed
21 into a $3.7 billion package, resulting in program reductions of
22 up to 40 percent in the Community Development Block Grant
23 Program, which is currently funded at $4.7 billion; and
 
24     WHEREAS, The Community Development Block Grant Program
25 provides crucial funding for entitlement community grantees to
26 carry out a wide range of community development activities
27 directed toward revitalizing neighborhoods, economic
28 development, and providing improved community facilities and
29 services; in FY 2004, almost $37 million in Community
30 Development Block Grant funding was directed to Illinois and
31 allocated to 46 counties and communities across Illinois; and
 

 

 

HR0259 - 2 - LRB094 11860 CSA 44251 r

1     WHEREAS, The State-managed Community Development Block
2 Grant Program administers the funds for three imperative
3 purposes: infrastructure development, business development,
4 and home rehabilitation; in 2004, the State program invested
5 more than $33 million in community projects around the State;
6 the program assisted 101 Illinois communities and more than
7 66,000 residents with funding for improvements to their water,
8 sanitary, or storm water systems; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The strength of the Community Development Block
10 Grant Program lies in local determination of immediate need,
11 flexible criteria in how to address infrastructure problems, a
12 wide variety of eligible economic development activities, and
13 the responsible administration of funds by State and local
14 officials; and
 
15     WHEREAS, In FY 2004, Community Development Block Grant
16 funds available to our smaller cities and counties in the State
17 have leveraged the creation and retention of more than 1,000
18 new jobs and, for low income homeowners in small and rural
19 communities, have provided housing rehabilitation for 313
20 homes in 27 communities to address health and safety issues;
21 and
 
22     WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
23 Opportunity, the administering agency for Community
24 Development Block Grant funds, has not only effectively
25 designed and managed the Community Development Block Grant
26 Non-Entitlement Program for small cities without incident for
27 23 years, but has also been a responsible steward of federal
28 funds and has developed programs tailored to meet specific,
29 critical state-wide needs, including the Economic Development
30 Program, Emergency Public Facilities Program, Housing Planning
31 Assistance Program, and the Public Facilities Construction and
32 Design Engineering Program; and
 

 

 

HR0259 - 3 - LRB094 11860 CSA 44251 r

1     WHEREAS, While Illinois' rural communities continue to
2 suffer from declines in traditional industries and face
3 difficulties in arranging the resources to develop and attract
4 the new economic engines of the twenty-first century, the
5 tenacity and innovation shown by local governments in
6 initiating local solutions to their needs point the way towards
7 successful concepts that can be cultivated and expanded; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The State-administered Community Development
9 Block Grant Program is playing a pivotal role in providing the
10 seed capital and leveraging of private funds needed for these
11 communities to create and implement their own local solutions;
12 therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
15 this body urges the continued support and full funding of the
16 Community Development Block Grant Program for city and county
17 community and economic development programs and projects, and
18 supports continued administration of the Community Development
19 Block Grant Program at the State level; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
21 delivered to United States Senator Richard Durbin, United
22 States Senator Barack Obama, United States Speaker of the House
23 Dennis Hastert, and the other members of the Illinois
24 congressional delegation.