Community Development Block Grant
The City of Monroe has been receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding since 2004. The grant, provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is intended to help the city’s low- and moderate-income residents through improvements to housing, public facilities and infrastructure as well as the provision of public services.
The funding has had a positive effect throughout the city by funding the rehabilitation of over 50 homes and improvements to city-owned facilities such as the Navarre and Dorsch libraries and the Arthur Lesow Community Center. The grants have been used to resurface streets, replace water mains and sewers, and ensure sidewalks and curbs are ADA compliant. They have funded improvements to city parks and been used to demolish vacant and abandoned houses. CDBG has also funded public services that help people avoid homelessness, find shelter from the cold and report unfair housing practices.
Five Year Consolidated Plan
The Five Year Consolidated Plan is a long range planning document that takes current demographic data about the city residents’ income, housing and services and lays out a plan for how to spend CDBG funds over the next five years.