Division Of Planning and Community Development

Phone: 908-527-4027 | Fax: 908-527-4901
Address: 10 Elizabethtown Plaza Elizabeth, NJ 07207

Program Description

With the passage of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and as subsequently amended, Union County became eligible for an annual “urban county” entitlement grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The main focus of the Community Development (CD) program is to provide decent housing and viable neighborhoods in the urbanized areas of the nation, emphasizing physical revitalization for maximum impact.

Initially, HUD found that New Jersey counties did not possess the essential powers to conduct community development activities and were required to enact cooperation agreements with participating municipalities. The cooperation agreements establish the basic terms for activities to be carried out using the urban county CDBG funding. In essence the cooperation agreement is an official indication that the participating municipalities and the county agree to jointly and cooperatively undertake CD activities. The cooperation agreements have enabled Union County to participate in the program

The City of Elizabeth and the Township of Union, with populations exceeding 50,000 qualify for a direct grant; the other nineteen municipalities participate in the Union County Community Development Program. Each participating community as well as the County of Union appoints two representatives to serve on the Union County Community Development Revenue Sharing Committee. Guided by the county’s Community Development staff, the committee decides which projects to fund, and the funding level of each.

It is the intent of the legislation to principally benefit low and moderate income persons and to eliminate conditions of blight by preserving and expanding the housing stock, improving public facilities and upgrading public services. The Community Development staff upholds these objectives by assuring compliance with all federal requirements in the preparation and approval of the county’s community development application.

Eligible Activities

CDBG funds may be used for activities which include, but are not limited to

* Acquisition of real property;
* Relocation and demolition;
* Rehabilitation of residential and non-residential structures;
* Construction of public facilities and improvements, such as water and sewer facilities, streets, neighborhood centers, and renewable energy resource;
* provision of assistance to profit-motivated businesses to carry out economic development and job creation/retention activities.

Ineligible Activities

Generally, the following types of activities are ineligible:

* acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of buildings for the general conduct of government;
* political activities;
* certain income payments; and
* construction of new housing by units of general local government.

Current Funding Amounts

In the current fiscal 2010-2011, the County and participating municipalities have agreed to funding amounts as shown below:

Public Facilities    $731,000

Public Improvements    $1,285,000

Public Services    $827,185

Housing     $2,108,298