MDHA is joining agencies across the U.S. in recognizing National Community Development Week April 1-5, 2024. Staff in MDHA’s Community Development Department administer four U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded Community Planning and Development (CPD) programs on behalf of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, one of which is the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. National Community Development Week is intended to elevate the impact of this program, which is celebrating its 50th year.
The CDBG program financially supports community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities. Activities may address needs such as infrastructure, economic development projects, public facilities installation, community centers, housing rehabilitation, public services, clearance/acquisition, microenterprise assistance, code enforcement, homeowner assistance and many others. These funds come from HUD and are administered by MDHA on behalf of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
One way the MDHA Community Development Department is supporting communities with CDBG funds is through summer youth programs. The funds are awarded to eligible nonprofit and public agencies to operate enrichment programs during the summer months for youth ages six to 18 within Nashville and Davidson County. Each summer, more than 1,300 youth participate in these programs.
In 2024, 24 programs were awarded funds that totaled $385,000 to support programs for local children and teens. See below for a list of this year’s funding recipients.
- An array Of Charm Camps
- Bethlehem Centers of Nashville SJ Camp
- Bethlehem Centers of Nashville VSI POWER
- Catholic Charities of Tennessee
- DYMON in the Rough
- East Nashville Hope Exchange, Inc @ Ross
- East Nashville Hope Exchange, Inc. @ St. Ann’s
- Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership POWER Community Garden
- Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership Summer Enrichment
- Global Outreach Developments International Camp Skillz Madison
- Global Outreach Developments International WorkWell POWER
- Global Outreach Developments International WorkWell B POWER
- Martha O’Bryan Center POWER Summer Work Program
- Martha O’Bryan Center SP 5-8
- Martha O’Bryan Center Summer Program K-4
- Moves and Grooves Inc.
- Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) IDEA Summer Camp
- Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) YEA! Summer Camp
- Oasis Center, Inc.
- Project Transformation Tennessee Antioch and Madison Summer Literacy Program
- Project Transformation Tennessee Woodbine Summer Literacy Program
- Rocketown of Middle Tennessee, Inc.
- Salama Urban Ministries, Inc.
- Why We Can’t Wait, Inc. Cultivating Character in Millennials Leadership Academy
Another notable program managed by the MDHA Community Development Department is Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). HUD allocates special funding for this program to support long-term recovery efforts following a disaster.
One recipient of a portion of this funding was Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville. The grant supported the construction of Sherwood Commons, a community consisting of 26 townhomes that include both two- and three-bedroom units. The site where these townhomes were built was affected by the flood that was caused by back-to-back record-breaking rainfall days in May 2010. The total amount of disaster relief for this project was $1,028,148.50.
MDHA staff participated in a volunteer build for Sherwood Commons in October 2021, and helped celebrate its grand opening and dedication in July 2022.
The impact of CDBG funds can also be seen along a stretch of Jefferson Street in Nashville. MDHA partnered with Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation to complete Phase I & II of Kossie Gardner Sr. Park in the Jefferson Street Redevelopment District. A total of $2,012,500 in CDBG funds made this project possible. The pocket park includes play areas, a large pavilion, lawns and a mural wall.
