COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The partnership among Federal, State and local governments to revitalize our Nation’s communities has been a high priority of my Administration.  When I took office, I proposed a substantial expansion of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the enactment of a new $400 million Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) program.  Both of these programs have provided essential community and economic development assistance to our Nation’s cities and counties.

Last year, Congress reauthorized both the CDBG and UDAG programs.  The CDBG program was reauthorized for three more years with annual funding increases of $150 million, and the UDAG program was extended for three years at the current funding level of $675 million annually.  My 1982 budget requests full funding for both of these programs.  These actions should help our Nation’s cities and counties to continue the progress they have made in the last three years.

NEIGHBORHOODS

During my Administration we have taken numerous positive steps to achieve a full partnership of neighborhood organizations and government at all levels.  We have successfully fought against red lining and housing discrimination.  We created innovative Self Help funding and technical resource transfer mechanisms.  We have created unique methods of access for neighborhood organizations to have a participating role in Federal and State government decision-making.  Neighborhood based organizations are the threshold of the American community.

The Federal government will need to develop more innovative and practical ways for neighborhood based organizations to successfully participate in the identification and solution of local and neighborhood concerns.  Full partnership will only be achieved with the knowing participation of leaders of government, business, education and unions.  Neither state nor Federal solutions imposed from on high will suffice.  Neighborhoods are the fabric and soul of this great land.  Neighborhoods define the weave that has been used to create a permanent fabric.  The Federal government must take every opportunity to provide access and influence to the individuals and organizations affected at the neighborhood level.

Rural Policy

Since the beginning of my Administration, I have been committed to improving the effectiveness with which the Federal government deals with the problems and needs of a rapidly changing rural America.  The rapid growth of some rural areas has placed a heavy strain on communities and their resources.  There are also persistent problems of poverty and economic stagnation in other parts of rural America.  Some rural areas continue to lose population, as they have for the past several decades.

In December, 1979, I announced the Small Community and Rural Development Policy.  It was the culmination of several years’ work and was designed to address the varying needs of our rural population.  In 1980, my Administration worked with the Congress to pass the Rural Development Policy Act of 1980, which when fully implemented will allow us to meet the needs of rural people and their communities more effectively and more efficiently.