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I <br />MV <br />ip:-. <br />' i.‘ 'p- •k <br />y:^ <br />¥ <br />?.V <br />yy <br />rfc1-E' <br />Introduction <br />Bockground <br />The Urban Hennepin County <br />Community Development Block Grant Program <br />The First 1 5 Years <br />Hennepin County has participated in the federal Community <br />Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program since Year I. 1 975. With the <br />completion of the 1 5th year of this county-municipal partnership, it is <br />appropriate to briefly step back and assess the objectives and <br />accomplishments of the Urban Hennepin County program. <br />The CDBG program was created by the Housing and Community <br />Development Act of 1974. and the U.S. Department of Housing and <br />Urban Development was charged with its administration. <br />The act changed the mode of federal assistance for community <br />development activities from a categorical, project-by-project basis, to a <br />block grant. It also provided that smaller cities in metropolitan areas <br />could Join with their county and create an association that would be <br />assured annual funding. <br />It Is as an urban county that Hennepin became an entitlement recipient <br />of CDBG funds. Urban Hennepin County was created and is <br />maintained through the execution of a joint cooperation agreement <br />between Hennepin County and each community desiring to be part of <br />the program. Through this association, nearly $48 million has been <br />expended since 1 975 on more than 1.500 activities. {See Fig. 5) <br />After passage of the Housing and Community Development Act of <br />1 974. Hennepin County and interested cities studied the provision for <br />the creation of "urban counties" as a mechanism to qualify for federal <br />community development funding. Urban counties were included in <br />the act as eligible for funding for a rather wide range of projects, with <br />apparent local flexibility in their selection and implementation. <br />In order to qualify as an urban county. Hennepin had to demonstrate <br />that It possessed sufficient housing and community development <br />authority to be an effective participant. This authority was obtained <br />from tocal communities wishing to participate in the program through <br />execution of a joint powers agreement. <br />M'v pag0l i <br />mMy-mmy\. <br />_____________________________________________^