City uses awareness campaign to tout $140 million in grant spending

The city of Tampa is spending the week touting the benefits of a community block grant program it’s received more than $140 million from since 1989.

The city, and several other localities around the country, are highlighting how they’ve used the money from the federal Community Development Block Grant program to help deal with homelessness and affordable housing. Tampa says the money it has received over the years has gone to support housing rehabilitation, emergency rental assistance, affordable housing development and home purchase assistance for income-eligible families.

Starting April 10, Tampa will use its social media accounts to put out an educational video series “on the unique ways these federally funded programs directly impact our local residents” as part of National CDBG Week. The idea, the city says, “is to educate both members of the public and Congressional officials about the significance” of the money.

“CDBG may just be an acronym to you, but to others, it can be life changing,” Mayor Jane Castor says in a statement. “These federal dollars are the backbone to our affordable housing efforts, which range from homeless services, all the way to buying a home for the very first time.”

The first video features the story of Army veteran Nathan "Nat" Wadell who was able to get help at the Catholic Charities run homeless shelter Tampa Hope.

According to the city, it receives on average between $2 million and $5 million each year through CDBG. The money is to fund city programs and approved local nonprofits profit programs.