2008 Woodie Awards
City to receive 10 percent of county's federal funds
Matt Greene
Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: Community
Butler County has allocated approximately $1.1 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funds and has given approximately 10 percent of that money to the city of Oxford.
The money will be used for specific city improvements-in this year's case, sidewalks. The funds are given annually based on county needs, according to Donna Everson, director of the Butler County Development Center.
CDBG was started by Gerald Ford in 1974 and is aimed at helping low to moderate income areas prevent the emergence of slums and poverty. Although the Miami University campus is not considered a low or moderate income area, the rest of Oxford will receive the most benefits from this funding, according to Oxford's Community Development Director Jung Han-Chen.
Everson stated that applications are submitted to the County Development Center in October by cities in need of improvements and after proposals are returned, a meeting is arranged with a consolidated planning committee to assess where committee members feel the county needs the most help.
Oxford will use the money to address the physical needs of the city, which include improving sidewalks and handicap access to buildings uptown.
According to Han-Chen, these sorts of physical improvements are called "brick and mortar improvements," with the sidewalks being the primary concern. Oxford will not be addressing any other sort of renovations with the funding.
Han-Chen said the focus of the spending will be in this fiscal year, and future plans are not yet set for the city.
"We have no plans for the future; we do what is most necessary right now," Han-Chen said.
Han-Chen is optimistic about what the funds can do for Oxford.
"This funding helps preserve our city and is essential to minimizing damage in low-income areas," he stated.
Everson said funding for has decreased for CDBG due to the current national political climate and federal spending patterns.
The money will be used for specific city improvements-in this year's case, sidewalks. The funds are given annually based on county needs, according to Donna Everson, director of the Butler County Development Center.
CDBG was started by Gerald Ford in 1974 and is aimed at helping low to moderate income areas prevent the emergence of slums and poverty. Although the Miami University campus is not considered a low or moderate income area, the rest of Oxford will receive the most benefits from this funding, according to Oxford's Community Development Director Jung Han-Chen.
Everson stated that applications are submitted to the County Development Center in October by cities in need of improvements and after proposals are returned, a meeting is arranged with a consolidated planning committee to assess where committee members feel the county needs the most help.
Oxford will use the money to address the physical needs of the city, which include improving sidewalks and handicap access to buildings uptown.
According to Han-Chen, these sorts of physical improvements are called "brick and mortar improvements," with the sidewalks being the primary concern. Oxford will not be addressing any other sort of renovations with the funding.
Han-Chen said the focus of the spending will be in this fiscal year, and future plans are not yet set for the city.
"We have no plans for the future; we do what is most necessary right now," Han-Chen said.
Han-Chen is optimistic about what the funds can do for Oxford.
"This funding helps preserve our city and is essential to minimizing damage in low-income areas," he stated.
Everson said funding for has decreased for CDBG due to the current national political climate and federal spending patterns.
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