What is the Community Development Block Grant Program?
- Give maximum feasibility priority to activities which will benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) families,
- Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight, and
- May also include activities which are designed to meet other community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the community.
Fair Housing Committment
The City of Buena Vista is committed to affirmatively further fair housing each grant year of its Community Development Block Grant Downtown Revitalization Project.
It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide for fair housing throughout the Commonwealth, to all its citizens, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, disability, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military status.
For more information concerning fair housing policies and resources available to protected groups, visit the following:
Recent Related News
City of Buena Vista Announces Main Street Pilot Program
January 19, 2022Information Sessions for CBDG Facade Improvement Progam
October 13, 2021Buena Vista Receives Community Development Block Grant for Downtown Revitalization
July 13, 2021Buena Vista Awarded Virginia Outdoors Foundation Grant for Downtown Gathering Space
February 10, 2021Projects
Community Improvement Grant (CIG)
The Façade Improvement Program, funding by the $1M CIG awarded this summer, will be a one-time partnership between the City and building owners to improve exteriors of their buildings in the downtown area with the goals to eliminate blight, stimulate investment, and beautify downtown. The application period will close this fall. Once closed, CBDG funds will no longer be available for façade work.
All eligible properties have received a letter by mail and/or email and invited to information sessions.
Find the Information Session Presentation HERE.
Find the Program Design HERE.
If you have questions, please email [email protected] or call 540-261-8607.
AWARDED FULL GRANT AMOUNT ON JULY 13, 2021 - STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES!
The City is preparing a CIG application for submission by April 1, 2021. The CIG subprogram of CDBG primarily funds physical improvements to downtowns, and is intended to follow a BDR planning grant. The maximum award is $1,000,000.
The City is pursuing funding for streetscape and related improvements in the downtown area, façade grants for privately-owned buildings in the project area, a wayfinding signage program throughout the City to install directional signage to downtown and significant attractions, and administration costs.
The City held a public hearing on March 4, 2021 to solicit public input for the project prior to submitting the application. Find the hearing fact sheet HERE,and more information HERE.
Community Development Block Grant - Business District Revitalization Planning
In late 2019, the City was awarded a CDBG Business District Revitalization (BDR) Planning Grant of $35,000 to study economic restructuring strategies and physical redevelopment opportunities for downtown.
The goal was to create a forward looking plan for the City’s Downtown Business District, identifying revitalization needs and priorities, while developing a community vision and revitalization strategy, which includes a plan for promoting local identity and opportunity, an economic restructuring plan, and a physical improvements plan for the downtown area.
This plan was completed in January 2021 and is available HERE.
You may also watch the February 2021 live presentation HERE.
A printed copy of the plan is also available in the Planning Office at 2039 Sycamore Avenue.
Community Development Block Grant - Opportunity Zone Marketing Grant
In late 2019 the City was awarded a CDBG Opportunity Zone Marketing grant of $15,000. This was successfully implemented in 2020 and resulted in a prospectus highlighting eligible properties in the City, as well as multiple calls with developers and contractors about development opportunities in the City.
You may find a copy of the prospectus HERE.
