Dallas is spotlighting the benefit of community bucks this week, with city officials and Dallas denizens taking a closer look at how federal funds are spurring local projects. The Community Development Block Grant Program, a federal fountain of financial aid, is the star of National Community Development Week running from April 1 to April 6, a stretch dedicated to the fruits of these funds, as reported by the City of Dallas.
As the week unfolds, Dallas presents The Impact Booklet, throwing the spotlight on a four-year rundown of strides taken thanks to the Housing Department's wallet—it's not just pies in the sky, it's hard facts and concrete improvements. And there’s a need for more of the green, the week also serves as a call-to-action for amped-up funding.
Plenty of happenings dot the agenda, from City Council giving props to out-of-school programs to an all-access tour on Saturday where the Community Development Commission swings by big-ticket projects such as Kiva East Multifamily Housing, Five Mile Norte Dame Place Single Family Housing and the St. Jude Center, backed by charities and Uncle Sam’s Housing and Urban Development dollars.
The Saturday tour, a crowd-pleaser from 8:30 in the morning to the early arvo, promises a peek at projects padded out by CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA cash flows—community development isn’t just a catchphrase, it's bricks, mortar, and real lives touched, the culminating event gets neighbors up close with the nitty-gritty of the dollars at work.
