Governor Deal Announces Community Development Block Grant Awarded to the City of Douglasville

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Governor Nathan Deal announced that the City of Douglasville will receive $426,200 for housing improvements through the Community Development Block Grant program. Along with Douglasville, cities and counties from across Georgia will receive a total of $36.8 million from the program to help grow local economies. The City of Douglasville will use the funds for neighborhood revitalization on Thompson Street.
“I would like to thank Governor Deal, Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Camila Knowles, along with DCA staff, Douglasville City Council, and city staff for their support and hard work in making this a successful application,” said Mayor Harvey Persons. “We are pleased that these resources will be combined with private investments and local funds to implement critical community development projects. The Community Development Block Grant demonstrates how state and local partners can work together with the private sector to create successes in local communities for families and businesses.”
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. CDBG funds are generally used for long-term community needs including housing, economic development and infrastructure. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“The funds received from the Community Development Block Grant will have a direct impact on the 42 individuals who live on Thompson Street,” said Community Development Manager Patrice R. Williams. “Not only will this change the lives of those residents, the benefits will be passed along to the entire community in immeasurable ways. These funds will help to begin the revitalization of a distressed neighborhood and promote economic development while uplifting the entire community.”
Over the past few years, the City of Douglasville has taken several steps to address housing needs within the community. In 2013, the City of Douglasville was selected to participate in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, which offers communities a three-year program of collaboration and technical assistance related to housing and community development. The objective of the Initiative is to help communities create and launch a locally based plan to meet their housing needs. As part of the initiative, community partners from various backgrounds were selected by Mayor and Council to serve on the
Douglasville Housing Group. In 2014, the City of Douglasville and the Douglasville Housing Group held several events and activities including a housing workshop, a housing seminar and a weatherization event sponsored by Georgia Power and the Tallatoona Community Partnership.
To learn more about the Community Development Block Grant and the Douglasville Housing Group, contact Patrice R. Williams at 678.449.3028 or williamsp@douglasvillega.gov.