Legal Definitions - Office of Community Planning and Development

The Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) is a division within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Its primary role is to manage and distribute federal grant money to local communities across the United States. These grants are designed to help cities, counties, and states address a variety of needs, including planning and funding their growth, improving their ability to manage local affairs, and providing essential housing and support services for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Here are some examples of how the Office of Community Planning and Development's work might apply:

• Community Revitalization Project: A mid-sized city in the Midwest wants to revitalize its aging downtown district, which has many vacant storefronts and deteriorating public spaces. The city applies for and receives a grant administered by the CPD. This funding allows them to create a comprehensive plan for redevelopment, including renovating historic buildings, improving sidewalks and street lighting, and establishing a new community park. The grant also helps finance job training programs for residents to work in the new businesses that emerge. This demonstrates the CPD's role in helping communities plan and finance their growth and development, leading to economic revitalization and improved quality of life.

• Disaster Recovery and Resilience: After a severe hurricane devastates a coastal county, many homes are destroyed, and local infrastructure is severely damaged. The county government, overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster, seeks assistance. The CPD provides emergency grant funding to help the county rebuild critical public facilities, establish temporary housing solutions for displaced residents, and develop long-term strategies to make the community more resilient to future natural disasters. This illustrates the CPD's function in supporting communities' capacity to govern effectively, especially during crises, and in planning for future development.

• Homeless Services Expansion: A large metropolitan area is struggling with a growing population of unsheltered individuals. Local non-profit organizations and the city's social services department collaborate to apply for a CPD grant. With the awarded funds, they are able to open a new emergency shelter, expand outreach programs to connect homeless individuals with services, and develop transitional housing options that include job counseling and mental health support. This directly showcases the CPD's mission to provide shelter and services for homeless people, helping communities address a critical social need.