Department of Commerce Seeking Community Input for Future CDBG Projects

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Commerce, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, needs input regarding how Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding is distributed.

CDBG funds, which are received each year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), are used to address community needs in cities and counties across Kansas. Over the years, CDBG projects have included assistance for business start-ups and expansions, downtown commercial rehabilitation, housing rehabilitation, and water and sewer line extensions, among others.

The Department of Commerce wants to ensure CDBG investments advance the goals established in the Kansas Framework for Growth, the state’s economic development strategic plan and are utilized more strategically to help communities across the state.

To make these changes, the Department of Commerce and its partners are seeking input from residents, local elected officials, and others via an online survey. The survey, which will take about 10 minutes to complete, will pose questions such as:

• What amenities are most important to you in your city or county?
• What is the current quality of these amenities?
• How does your city or county identify what improvements are needed?
• Has your city or county benefitted from CDBG funding in the past?

Responses collected are important in guiding the best way to invest in the future of Kansas. Individuals are asked to respond by Thursday, June 15.

To complete the survey, please click here. A Spanish version of the survey can be found here.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

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