Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Grant (CDBG) 2024 CAPER DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The Consolidated Plan Advisory Board has prepared the Consolidated Annual  Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the Program year July 1, 2024  through June 30, 2025. The draft of the report is available for public review and  comment and may be viewed here. (link to be provided later) The CAPER is the annual review of the State’s performance in meeting the goals  and objectives identified in the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and Program Year  2024 Annual Action Plan. Note that the CAPER also includes the State CDBG  Performance and Evaluation Report (State PER) for the Arkansas Community  Development Block Grant Program (CDBG). Written comments may be  addressed to Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Grants Division, 1  Commerce Way, Suite 601, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202, or emailed to Jean Noble  at [email protected] . Comments will be accepted between 8:00 AM  October 13, 2025, and 4:30 PM, October 27, 2025. Any comments received will be  summarized and incorporated into the CAPER. The PR28 IDIS Activity Summary is required per HUD Notice CPD-21-11.  Because of its length, it is provided as an electronic file to the Little Rock HUD  Field Office and can be viewed here . 2025-2029 Five-Year Consolidated Plan and Annual Plan Draft Available for Review A virtual public hearing to obtain citizen comments on the draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Plan was held Wednesday, July 9th, from 10:00 to 12:00 During this meeting, state agencies obtained oral public comments regarding the allocation of approximately $33.45 million in funds for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), and the National Housing Trust Fund (HTF) programs for the 2025 program year beginning July 1. A final submitted draft of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Plan is located here and a copy of the slides presented at the public hearing are available here . What is CDBG? Congress created the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in 1974 to benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevent and eliminate conditions of slum or blight, and address other urgent community development needs. AEDC has administered the State CDBG program since 1983, when Housing and Urban Development (HUD) moved the administration of the funds to the states. In Arkansas, the CDBG program is also known as the Arkansas Community and Economic Development Program (ACEDP). Who is eligible? Eligible applicants include cities and counties with a population of under 50,000 with a low- to moderate-income (LMI) population of at least 51 percent, or for projects which benefit a targeted eligible clientele. Larger entitlement cities receive their own funding and are not eligible for funds from this program. They include Smith, Hot Rock, North Little Rock, Pine West Memphis. Only cities and counties may apply for CDBG grants. Grants cannot be made directly to non-profit or for-profit groups or individuals. However, cities and counties may apply for projects that will benefit non-profit groups, for-profit companies, or LMI persons. How are the funds distributed? Each year, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) holds public meetings and hearings across the state to obtain citizen input on community needs. Based on that input, the agency prepares a plan to prioritize and distribute the grant funds that are part of its federal CDBG allocation. A draft of the plan is published and made available for public comment. Guidelines and Application

Who is eligible? Eligible applicants include cities and counties with a population of under 50,000 with a low- to moderate-income (LMI) population of at least 51 percent, or for projects which benefit a targeted eligible clientele. Larger entitlement cities receive their own funding and are not eligible for funds fr