Community Development Block Grant

The City of Caldwell in an entitlement community that receives federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Cities that receive funding from the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) can distribute a portion of those funds to subrecipients such as nonprofit organizations, public agencies, or community development organizations. This process is governed by rules from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Cities can also manage their own programs such as Housing Rehabilitation and/or Housing Emergency and Critical Repairs.  Funds for these programs (if offered) are available to low to moderate homeowners.  Homes must be owner-occupied and income verification is required.  

All activities funded by CDBG must be an eligible activity by HUD and fall into one of the following broad categories:

1. Public Facilities and Infrastructure (i.e., sidewalks, ADA improvements, water/sewer, streetlights, community centers)
2. Housing Activities (i.e., rehabilitation, downpayment assistance, emergency repairs)
3. Public Services Provided by Nonprofit and Community Organizations
4. Acquisition, Clearance and Demolition
5. Economic Development (not widely used)
6. Planning & Capacity Building (i.e., program administration, neighborhood plans, housing studies)

Every CDBG-funded project must meet at least one of the following National Objectives:

1. Benefit low- and moderate-income persons
2. Aid in the prevention or elimination of slum or blight.
3. Meet an urgent community (rarely used)

All programs, projects and activities must align with the:

1. Five-Year Consolidated Plan; and
2. Annual Action Plan

The purpose of CDBG funding is to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. This purpose drives how funds are distributed and what projects are eligible.

CDBG is one of the most flexible federal funding programs available to local governments. The City of Caldwell utilizes CDBG funding to:

1. Address aging infrastructure
2. Revitalize older neighborhoods
3. Support affordable housing
4. Provide services to vulnerable populations

A Consolidated Plan (often called a “Con Plan”) is a five-year strategic planning document required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for any city that receives federal funding under programs like the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program, ESG, or HOPWA. 

Its purpose is to identify housing, community development, and economic needs and set priorities for using federal funds to address them.

• 2026-2030 DRAFT Five-Year Consolidated Plan.pdf(PDF, 3MB)
• 2021-2025 Five-Year Consolidated Plan.pdf(PDF, 3MB)

A CDBG Annual Action Plan is a one-year funding and implementation plan that a city prepares if it receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It translates the community’s five-year Consolidated Plan goals into specific projects and programs for a single program year.

In short: the Annual Action Plan tells HUD and the public how CDBG funds will be spent in that year.

• Program Year 2026 Annual Action Plan.pdf(PDF, 3MB) (as part of the Con Plan)
• Program Year 2025 Annual Action Plan.pdf(PDF, 11MB)
• Program Year 2023 Annual Action Plan.pdf(PDF, 578KB)

A Citizen Participation Plan (CPP) is a document required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for any city or county that receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) or other HUD funds. Its purpose is to ensure that residents, especially low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons, have meaningful opportunities to participate in planning, implementation, and evaluation of HUD-funded programs.

• Citizen Participation Plan Adopted 2025.pdf(PDF, 371KB)

A CDBG Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (AI) is a required study for communities that receive federal funding from HUD, including CDBG funds. Its purpose is to identify barriers that residents face in accessing housing on a fair and equal basis and to guide actions to eliminate those barriers. This requirement comes from HUD’s Fair Housing Act obligations and is closely tied to a city’s Consolidated Plan.

• 2026 DRAFT Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing.pdf(PDF, 2MB)
• 2018 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing.pdf(PDF, 21MB)

A CDBG CAPER refers to the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report, a HUD-required report that communities submit each year if they receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) or other HUD funding.

The CAPER is essentially the annual “scorecard” showing how well Caldwell met the goals outlined in its Annual Action Plan and the broader Consolidated Plan.

• Program Year 2024 Final CAPER.pdf(PDF, 4MB)
• Program Year 2022 Final CAPER.pdf(PDF, 1MB)