More money put toward community programs in Fayetteville, other NWA cities

FAYETTEVILLE -- More money for Community Development Block Grant programs means more children reading, clients in recovery from drug addiction being better served and more homes getting in line with state and federal codes.

Cities in Northwest Arkansas reported being awarded more federal dollars this year for programs assisting low-income residents and vulnerable populations. Since 1975, the federal Community Development Block Grant program has helped offset poverty, create affordable housing and address neighborhood infrastructure.

Congressional leaders this year allocated $3.2 billion to CDBG, up about 8 percent from the $3 billion set aside last year. President Donald Trump's administration has suggested eliminating CDBG entirely, saying local governments are best positioned to take on community needs.

Fayetteville held its public hearing on how to spend the money Wednesday.

The total amount Fayetteville is set to receive, $668,915, represents $56,751 more than what it received last year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. An action plan is due at the end of the month, said Yolanda Fields, community resources director for the city.

"I don't know how to tell you how happy I am that we have the funding that we have," she said.

A preliminary plan includes more $87,000 directed toward public services. Among those is a first-time program in Fayetteville, OneCommunity.

OneCommunity will host a summer bilingual reading program for children called Feed Your Brain at Willow Heights, a public housing apartment complex at 10 S. Willow Ave. The program will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday June 13 to July 25.

Children of low-income families tend to experience summer learning loss the most, said Diana Gonzales Worthen, co-founder of OneCommunity. The nonprofit partnered with the Fayetteville Housing Authority and the city's Community Resources Division to bring the program to a public housing property for the first time, she said.

"We did not receive one single 'no,'" Worthen said. "In fact, all of them said, 'Really, we're going to have a program here?'"

The Community Resources Division administers the money the city receives from the federal government to numerous programs. One such program it manages is Hearth, which helps find housing for homeless adults and their children. CDBG money also goes toward a taxi program for residents who cannot drive and a pet food bank.

Springdale this year was awarded $869,425, which is about $28,000 more than it received last year, said Don Hancock the city's CDBG program director.

"We'll do more housing this year than we have in the past," he said.

Springdale offers a grant program in which low-income residents can receive up to $30,000 for getting their homes up to federal and state housing code, Hancock said.

Rogers is set to use some of its CDBG money to get more beds at Souls Harbor of Northwest Arkansas, said Donna Johnston, the city's CDBG administrator. Souls Harbor is a transitional community for men in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. There's a waiting list, Johnston said.

Rogers will receive $459,265 total, up from the $421,205 it got last year.

Bentonville last received CDBG money in 2015.

NW News on 06/07/2018