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1133444
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1/8/76 - Community Development Block Grant Report Press Conference
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1133444
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document
title
1/8/76 - Community Development Block Grant Report Press Conference
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Carla A. Hills Speeches
Speeches
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Federal aid
Housing
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1133444
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8
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1976-01-08
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1976
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8
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1976-01-08
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1
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "1/8/76 - Community Development
Block Grant Report Press Conference" of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FINAL
BRIEFING ON FIRST ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS
ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
JANUARY 8, 1976
GOOD MORNING,
You KNOW THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, so I WON'T BELABOR
IT WITH EXTRANIA.
I WILL SAY, HOWEVER, THAT OUR FIRST ANNUAL REPORT TO
CONGRESS ON HUD's COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
-- WHICH I AM RELEASING TO YOU -- PROVES THAT AMERICA'S
CITIZENS, THROUGH THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
TO TACKLE THE TOUGH NATIONAL PROBLEMS AND FIND THE RIGHT
SOLUTIONS.
CONGRESS AND THIS ADMINISTRATION CAN APPROPRIATELY TAKE
CREDIT FOR THEIR VISION AND CONFIDENCE IN ASSIGNING BOTH THE
MONEY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR NEEDED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO
THE LOCAL OPTIONS OF THE COMMUNITIES, THEY TRUSTED THAT THE
PROGRAM WOULD SPUR LOCAL CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISION-
MAKING PROCESS,
GERALD R. FORD LIBRARY
-2-
THAT TRUST WAS WELL PLACED. THE DECISIONS MADE LOCALLY
SHOW THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE ATTUNED TO OUR PRESSING
NATIONAL NEEDS, OUR REPORT INDICATES THAT 67 PERCENT OF
BLOCK GRANT FUNDS ARE BEING USED FOR "PREVENTION OF SLUMS
AND BLIGHT" -- AND "CONSERVATION AND EXPANSION OF HOUSING
STOCK".
OTHER OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED INCLUDE "IMPROVEMENT AND
EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES" AND "MORE RATIONAL LAND USE
POLICIES".
THE SIGNIFICANT THING ABOUT THIS FIRST REPORT, HOWEVER,
IS NOT ONLY THE IMPRESSIVE RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT BUT ALSO
THE FACT THAT IT WAS DONE IN AN AMAZINGLY SHORT PERIOD OF A
"START UP" YEAR, UNDER A HOST OF NEW AND UNFAMILIAR REQUIREMENTS.
To SUMMARIZE:
FROM THE FISCAL 1975 APPROPRIATION, HUD MADE 2,950
GRANTS TOTALLING $2.5 BILLION. ABOUT 88 PERCENT OF
IT TO ENTITLEMENT CITIES AND URBAN COUNTIES,
GERALD B FORD
-3-
METROPOLITAN APPLICATIONS INDICATE THAT 71 PERCENT
OF THEIR FUNDS WILL GO DIRECTLY INTO NEIGHBORHOODS
WHERE INCOME IS 80 PERCENT OR LESS THAN THE METROPOLITAN
AREA MEDIAN.
PROGRAM REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN DRASTICALLY
REDUCED ALL AROUND. FOR EXAMPLE, APPLICATIONS ARE NOW
AVERAGING 50 PAGES -- INSTEAD OF THE 1,400 PAGE AVERAGE
FOR PRIOR CATEGORICAL GRANT PROGRAMS.
ALL STEPS INVOLVED IN BLOCK GRANTS -- APPLICATION, HUD
REVIEW, APPROVAL, AND CONTRACTING -- AVERAGE 8 MONTHS,
START TO FINISH, WHEREAS UNDER THE CONVENTIONAL URBAN
RENEWAL PROGRAM, IT TOOK MORE THAN TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS,
THUS, THE PROGRAM IS CARRYING OUT ITS CONGRESSIONAL AND
ADMINISTRATION OBJECTIVES:
ESTABLISHING LOCAL HOUSING GOALS;
ADDRESSING THE PRESSING NEEDS OF LOWER-INCOME RESIDENTS;
SHIFTING RESPONSIBILITY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS;
-4-
SHARPLY REDUCING FEDERAL RED-TAPE; AND
INCREASING THE CERTAINTY OF FUTURE FUNDING,
WE MAKE NO CLAIM OF PROGRAM PERFECTION. AND, WE INTEND
TO SEE THAT THE USES TO WHICH FUNDS ARE PUT ARE CAREFULLY
MONITORED.
BUT THE FIRST YEAR DOES TELL US THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT
TRACK. ITS SUCCESSES -- ALONG WITH ITS INEVITABLE PROBLEMS
AS A NEW AND UNTRIED IDEA -- WILL SERVE US WELL AS WE REVIEW
AND APPRAISE THE APPLICATIONS OF OUR CITIES AND COUNTIES FOR
THE SECOND FISCAL YEAR TO COME.
THE SUCCESSES, WE BELIEVE, HAVE FAR OUTWEIGHED THE
PREDICTED PROBLEMS -- AND THE PROSPECTS FOR AN EVEN BETTER
PERFORMANCE DURING THE SECOND FISCAL YEAR OF THE PROGRAM ARE
IMPRESSIVELY BRIGHT.
To THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY RECALL THAT HUD HAS BEEN CHIDED
BY CONGRESS FOR PAST TARDINESS, I HAPPILY POINT OUT THAT THIS
REPORT WAS COMPLETED, PRINTED AND DELIVERED TO CONGRESS ON
DECEMBER 30, ONE FULL DAY BEFORE IT WAS DUE.
FORD