Housing and Community Development
Community Development’s Administrative Division is responsible for administration of the three Entitlement Grant programs funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The programs consist of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). Activities funded by these programs include a variety of public improvements, public services, economic development actions, homelessness prevention functions and housing, planning and administrative activities.
In the past the Division administered a variety of additional federal, state and local grant programs including what is commonly referred to as the “Stimulus” - funds provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Three major initiatives under ARRA, administered by Community Development were the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP2) the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing (HPRP) program and Community Block Grant Recovery funding (CDBG-R). Additional grants have been received through the National Endowment for the Arts, Economic Development Initiatives (EDI), Brownfield Economic Development Initiative (BEDI), a Community Services Block Grant and Redevelopment Assistance Capital Programs (RACPs) from the state of Pennsylvania.
Room 3-12 Phone: 610-655-6211
1. Mission Statement:
Our mission is to maximize and prioritize the use of resources to improve the quality of life of our constituents, and to nurture a business friendly climate that encourages and supports private investment, job creation and economic growth.
2. Vision Statement:
To make Reading the best place in the region to live, work and do business through collaboration, communication and innovation by implementing publicly funded programs and strategies that will increase private investment and drive community advancement.
3. Goals:
- Revitalize Reading through strategic investment of technical assistance and financial resources in community development and housing;
- Help businesses succeed while improving the quality of life in our community;
- Rank as a top performing HUD entitlement jurisdiction by administering federal funds effectively, efficiently, strategically and in a timely manner;
- Implement strategic management and model business practices to monitor grantees to ensure that activities are timely and in compliance with federal regulations;
- Seek state, federal, and local funds to support our mission and the City’s objectives;
- Become the first department of the City of Reading to successfully implement all 18 Act 47 initiatives;