Page 4 RAIN July 1979 "JI. C a ,. ag 11 < 1 C 1 t c: d 1 a : ' I, I~ by .Phil Conti The evolution of an individual's con-· sciousness over a year is a fascinating process to observe. During the past 12 . months I watched several frien.ds change their focus from the techniques of s'olar water heater construction and intensive gardening to the concepts of communitybased economic development. Wanting to share their skills with a broader audience and make a living as well, a neighborhood business was a natural conclusion..Increasing numbers of people are making the connection-that neighborhood-based and contrnlled enterprises can result in institutions which are more responsive to the community's collective wishes. A recent Portland conference on neighborhood involvement in economic development attracted a wide range of interest groups. Attending the workshops were solar advocates, business people, community organizers, government workers, church representatives and neighbors. A common problem shared by most participants was ac- • quiring the necessary start-up money. Discussions on leveraging th_ousands of dollars for community development seemed premature without seed capital. If neighborhoods are to be successful in their bid for economic power, opportunities for obtaining start-up capital . must be made available. The Community Development Block Grants· (CDBG) program could provide that opportunity. Currently, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) distributes $4 billion annually in CDBG funds to urban cities and counties. Because of their flexible use, block grants can be a good source of seed money for economic dev~lopment activities. Possible uses of the funds include acquisition of land or a building for housing, operation of a health clinic or weatherization business, payment of a project's administrative costs and purchase of construction equip- $eeds,for Self-Help ment. There are two obvious limitations on the use of block gra_nts. The first is st_atutory requirements that restrict the use of the money to meet the needs of low and moderate income groups. The other is that the city has sole discretion over which proposals receive funding. Traditionally cities •have been conservative in their use of CDBG funds. However, as noted in the resource groups listed below, several metropolitan areas are starting to channel ploc,k grants to.some self-help , neighborhood economic programs. Community development block grants alone will not make a neighborhood self-reliant: Their use should, as • Ms. Stone concludes in her manual (Community Development Block Grants reviewed in this issue), "be part of a larger community strategy, one that looks beyond an immediate dependence on external help to.a selfsufficient future." RESOURCES: Community Development Block Grants, A Strategy for Neighborhood Groups, Margaret Stone, 1978, $·3.50 for.community organizations eligible for legal services, $7.50 all others, from: National Economic Development & Law Center 2150 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, CA 94704 This is an excellent manual for neighborhood groups who want to participate in the CO.BG process. Helpful chapters on researching and reading CDBG forms not only explain the form lines but also how to read between them. Other topics include preparing the proposal, monitoring local government programs and asserting your rights through pre-litigation strategies and lawsuits. All this information is in a very readable text which maintains a vision of a more economically independent community. An Advoc.acy Guide to the Community Development Block Grant Program, Clearinghouse Review January Supplement 1979, free to legal services attorneys and paralegals·, $15 to VISTA, students and prison law libraries; $30 all others from: National Clearinghouse for Legal Service • • 500 North Michigan Ave., Suite 1940 Chicago, IL.60611 Clearinghouse Review is a monthly legal publication which frequently reports on community development issues. An overview of the CDBG program is in the January supplement. Of interest to neighborho,od groups is a section entitled "Special Provisions for Funding Community Organizations and Community-based Economic Development." Check it out at your local legal services office. Urban Integrated Community Demonstration Project This project is designed to enable residents of the Whitaker Neighborhood in Eugene, Oregon; to become more selfreliant in areas of food production, energy, recycling, housing and health. Activities include: collective gardening, composting and food pr-oce'ssing; urban agriculture class for the local elementary school; expansion of a local re- . cycling business; cooperative housing; weatherization business; self-help medical program. The purpose i's to see how these techniques can be used on an integrated basis in a low-income neighborhood. NCAT has provided planning funds and CDBG monies will be used for acquisition of land and buildings. Whiteaker Community Council 21 N. Grand · • Eugene, OR 97402 _10.,
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