Milwaukee Rising

City loses $1 million in 2008 federal funding

Feb. 19, 2008 -- The city has been notified that it will lose $1 million in Community Development Block Grant funding for this year, Mayor Tom Barrett's top aide said Monday.

The city's allocation will be $16 million, Barrett Chief-of-Staff Patrick Curley said. That is the same amount the city got in 1991, he said.

The CDBG program is meant to help cities to provide decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income people, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development web site

The city planned to allocate about $7.5 million in CDBG funds to community groups and use about $9.8 million for city purposes, according to city allocation documents.

The city's share of the money is budgeted for vacant lot maintenance, lead abatement services, historic preservation, health services, fire prevention and education and other operations.

Money directed to community organizations is used for things like community prosecutions, senior services, tenant assistance, housing production and tool loans, among other things, according to the city's funding allocation plan.

Curley said he did not know yet what services would be cut.

"We'll have to look at everything," he said.