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<TITLE>Press release: National Community Development Week</TITLE>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"> <<PROCLAMATION NCDW 2012.docx>> </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"> <<PRESS RELEASE NCDW.docx>> </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"> <<QUICK FACTS NCDW HOME.docx>> </FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2 COLOR="#000000"> <<QUICK FACTS NCDW CDBG.docx>> </FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><B></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><B><FONT FACE="Calibri">PRESS RELEASE</FONT></B></SPAN></P>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Urbana, Illinois For further information, contact</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">April 10, 2012 Kelly Mierkowski at (217) 384-2441</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><B></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><B></B></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><B><FONT SIZE=4 FACE="Calibri">The City of Urbana Celebrates National Community Development Week</FONT></B></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Mayor Laurel Lunt Prussing and the City Council issued a proclamation supporting</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program through the official recognition of</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"> <FONT FACE="Calibri">National</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> Community Development Week which will be celebrated during the week of April 9 through April 14, 2012.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Enacted into law in 1974, the CDBG program is the principal federal program providing grants to States, cities and counties to devise neighborhood approaches that will improve the physical, economic and social conditions in communities. It is administered nationally by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The HOME program provides grants to States, cities and counties to create safe, sanitary, and affordable housing opportunities nationwide.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">This year, 2012, marks the 38</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><SUP><FONT FACE="Calibri">th</FONT></SUP></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> anniversary of the CDBG program and the 21</FONT></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><SUP><FONT FACE="Calibri">st</FONT></SUP></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri"> anniversary of the HOME program. Both programs have faced significant cuts in funding in the past two years; CDBG has suffered a 26% cut, and HOME has suffered a 48% cut since 2010. In fiscal year 2010, CDBG was funded at $3.99 billion and HOME was funded at $1.825 billion. CDBG is now funded at $2.95 billion and HOME is now funded at $1.0 billion nationally. Next year Urbana will receive $362,644 in CDBG, down from $421,469 this year, a 13.9% cut. It will receive $769,083 in HOME next year, down from $1,000,552 this year, a 23% cut. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Given the severity of the recent recession and the continuing weakness of the overall economy and employment situation, these programs are needed more than ever to help our cities cope with reduced revenues, to provide services to our most vulnerable citizens; seniors, youth, homeless and those with disabilities, and to maintain and improve the conditions of our homes, our neighborhoods and our public infrastructure.</FONT></SPAN></P>
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<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Matt Murphy</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Grants Management Associate</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">Department of Community Development Services</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">City of Urbana</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><A HREF="mailto:mdmurphy@urbanaillinois.us"><SPAN LANG="en-us"><U></U></SPAN><U><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></U><U><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Calibri">mdmurphy@urbanaillinois.us</FONT></SPAN></U><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></A><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN><SPAN LANG="en-us"></SPAN></P>
<P DIR=LTR><SPAN LANG="en-us"><FONT FACE="Calibri">217.384.2420</FONT></SPAN></P>
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