Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Community Development Block Grant funding is used for a wide range of countywide, regional, municipal, and social service quality of life enhancements targeted principally toward low-to-moderate income and special needs residents throughout Bergen County.  

Relative to the annual allocation the Bergen County Division of Community Development receives, HUD regulations mandate that 15 percent of the funds be used for what is classified as “public service,” viz., expenditures for human resources that largely translate into salary portion supplements for staff and specialists who work for agency and nonprofit social service sub-recipients.

The central purpose of CDBG funding is to help build stronger and more resilient communities through an ongoing process of working with all of Bergen County’s 70 municipalities and eligible nonprofit and county government agencies to identify and address quality of life priorities.  In this regard, six Regional Committees (Northwest, Pascack Valley, Northern Valley, Central, Southeast, Southwest) and a Countywide Committee – all composed of representatives from each municipality – make funding recommendations from the pool of CDBG applications received annually, subject to approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

CDBG sub-grants regularly include eligible: (1) municipal infrastructure upgrades (e.g., municipal road repaving; sewer and drainage improvements; playground and park upgrades; handicapped-accessible curb cuts and public building access upgrades, etc.); (2) nonprofit and government agency building upgrades (e.g., HVAC, window, emergency generator upgrades; handicapped-accessible door and restroom upgrades; etc.); (3) nonprofit agency social services staff and specialist enhancements (e.g.,

staff and specialist salary supplements related to child/teen day/after school care; senior day care; senior center activities; homelessness prevention and intervention; domestic violence counseling; tenant and housing counseling; etc.); and (4) nonprofit and government agency economic development (e.g., job training and employment search counseling, etc.).

CDBG also provides: (1) limited down payment assistance to low-to-moderate income individuals and families who qualify through the American Dream First Time Homebuyers Program; and (2) deferred payback loan assistance to low-to-moderate income individuals and families who qualify through the Home Improvement Program (HIP) for major system home repairs/replacements (e.g., new roof, HVAC, sidewalks, windows, siding, porch, plumbing, etc.).  The American Dream Program and Home Improvement Program (HIP) both operate separately from HOME subgrants awarded to approved applicants.