2026 CDBG Public Facilities & Improvements
Application Overview
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. The CDBG Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to Entitlement Communities as a means to support viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for low-and moderate-income persons.
The CDBG Program has three national objectives
- Provide a direct benefit(s) to low to moderate income households
- Prevent or eliminate slum or blight
- Address an urgent need or problem within the community
Annually, the Cobb County CDBG Program Office requests proposals from local non-profit organizations and government entities to carry out eligible activities in the County. This funding application is for the period beginning January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
A Selection Committee will review all applications for compliance with requirements and make funding recommendations to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners (BOC) during the month of November .
CDBG Public Facilities & Improvement Funds are eligible for the following activities:
Public Facilities & Improvements -Acquisition -Commercial/Residential Rehabilitation -Removal of Architectural Barriers for Accessibility -Construction/Reconstruction -Equipment Installation -Water -Sewer | Economic Development Activities -Construction of a Business Incubator -Technical assistance to a business facing bankruptcy -Providing training for low-income persons to enable them to qualify for jobs created by CDBG-assisted special economic development activities | Housing Activities -Rehabilitation of Single Family Housing -Historic preservation -Lead-based paint hazard evaluation and reduction |
In order for a project or program to qualify for CDBG funds, 51% of the program beneficiaries must be low- to moderate-income as defined by HUD. The following table reflects the current HUD income limits for one- to eight-person households who earn at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Cobb County, Georgia.
2024 CDBG MAXIMUM HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMITS
EFFECTIVE: May 1, 2024
| Family/ Household Size | Extremely Low | Very Low Income 50% | Low Income 80% |
| 1 | $22,600.00 | $37,650.00 | $60,200.00 |
| 2 | $25,800.00 | $43,000.00 | $68,800.00 |
| 3 | $29,050.00 | $48,400.00 | $77,400.00 |
| 4 | $32,250.00 | $53,750.00 | $86,000.00 |
| 5 | $34,850.00 | $58,050.00 | $92,900.00 |
| 6 | $37,450.00 | $62,350.00 | $99,800.00 |
| 7 | $40,000.00 | $66,650.00 | $106,650.00 |
| 8 | $42,600.00 | $70,950.00 | $113,550.00 |
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) https://www.hudexchange.info/
CDBG QUALIFYING CRITERIA
The criteria for how CDBG activities benefit low and moderate income (L/M) persons are categorized as follows:
Area Benefit Activities: These activities must benefit all residents in a particular service area where at least 51% of persons in the service area are low-to-moderate income, per most recent U.S. Census Data.
The service area is determined based upon the nature of the activity, location of the activity, accessibility issues, availability of comparable activities, and boundaries for public facilities and public services. Service area must be determined prior to the provision of CDBG assistance. Examples of eligible activities include infrastructure, public facilities, and economic development.
Limited Clientele Activities: At least 51% of the beneficiaries of the proposed project activity must be low-to moderate income. In contrast to the area benefit category, it is not the low-to-moderate concentration of the service area of the activity that determines whether the activity will qualify or not, but rather the actual number of low-to-moderate income persons that benefit from the activity.
Activities in this category provide benefits to a specific group of persons rather than everyone in an area. It may benefit persons without regard to their residence, or it may be an activity that provides a benefit to only particular persons within a specific area.
Examples of activities that qualify under the limited clientele category include:
• Acquisition of a building to be converted into a shelter for the homeless;
• Rehabilitation of a center for training severely disabled persons to enable them to live independently;
• Clearance of a structure from the future site of a neighborhood center that will exclusively serve the elderly; and
• Public services activities.
Economic Development Activities: Low- to-moderate job creation or retention activities. These activities must be undertaken with the purpose of creating or retaining permanent jobs of which at least 51% (computed on a full-time equivalent basis) will be made available to or held by low-and moderate-income persons.
Housing Activities: Activities that are undertaken for the purpose of providing or improving permanent residential structures which, upon completion, will be occupied by at least 51% low and moderate-income households.
2026 Grant Allocation Funding Priorities
In 2024, the Cobb County CDBG Program Office conducted a Strategic Plan Assessment for Cobb County. This document is a compilation of preplanning surveys and data analysis gathered from local nonprofit organizations, tri-partite board and CDBG Program Office staff. The results of the surveys formed the foundation for the following goals, outcomes and strategies as listed in the Plan.
Housing insecurity is a pervasive issue in the region, with 72,310 families, or 24.83% of the population, spending more than 30% of their income on rent, mortgage, and utilities, making them housing cost-burdened. Renters are impacted with nearly half (41.89%) being cost burdened compared to 16.24% of homeowners. As reflected in the Strategic Plan, mental health concerns are also growing, with 14% of residents experiencing frequent distress, and the prevalence of serious mental illness and suicidal thoughts rising in recent years.
The following barriers were identified in the 2024 Strategic Plan:
- Employment and Education: Youth and Individuals lack the skills and qualifications needed to secure meaningful employment.
- Income Inequality: Individuals and Seniors lack adequate income to meet basic household needs
- Substance Abuse: Individuals are addicted to unhealthy substances
- Domestic Violence and Unsafe Living Conditions: Individuals and children are living in unsafe home environments
- Homelessness: Cobb County faces a homelessness crisis, with 451 individuals identified as homeless, including veterans and those chronically homeless. The rising cost of housing and limited affordable units contribute to this issue.
- Housing Insecurity: Over 24% of households in Cobb County are housing cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Renters are especially affected, leading to financial instability and an increased risk of homelessness.
- Mental Health Issues: Individuals have poor mental health
As a result of these identified barriers in the County’s 2024 Strategic Plan, the Cobb County CDBG Program Office has developed funding allocation priorities for the County’s 2026 HUD grant application cycle.
2026 CDBG Funding Priorities | Allocation Percentage |
|---|---|
| CDBG (Public Services Cap 15%) | |
| Youth Assistance Programs | 1% |
| Re-entry Assistance Program | 1% |
| Rental Housing Assistance | 2% |
| Case Management | 2% |
| Homeless Prevention Assistance | 3% |
Homeless Activities | 3% |
| Job Training Assistance | 1% |
| Domestic Violence Assistance Programs | 1% |
| CDBG Other Activities | |
| Public Facility Activities | 32% |
| Municipality Fair Share | 22% |
| Minor Home Repair Program | 12% |
| Planning & Administration | 20% |
| CDBG TOTAL ALLOCATION | 100% |
2026 CDBG Public Facilities Application
2026 CDBG Public Facilities & Improvements
Application Overview
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. The CDBG Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to Entitlement Communities as a means to support viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for low-and moderate-income persons.
The CDBG Program has three national objectives
- Provide a direct benefit(s) to low to moderate income households
- Prevent or eliminate slum or blight
- Address an urgent need or problem within the community
Annually, the Cobb County CDBG Program Office requests proposals from local non-profit organizations and government entities to carry out eligible activities in the County. This funding application is for the period beginning January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
A Selection Committee will review all applications for compliance with requirements and make funding recommendations to the Cobb County Board of Commissioners (BOC) during the month of November .
CDBG Public Facilities & Improvement Funds are eligible for the following activities:
Public Facilities & Improvements -Acquisition -Commercial/Residential Rehabilitation -Removal of Architectural Barriers for Accessibility -Construction/Reconstruction -Equipment Installation -Water -Sewer | Economic Development Activities -Construction of a Business Incubator -Technical assistance to a business facing bankruptcy -Providing training for low-income persons to enable them to qualify for jobs created by CDBG-assisted special economic development activities | Housing Activities -Rehabilitation of Single Family Housing -Historic preservation -Lead-based paint hazard evaluation and reduction |
In order for a project or program to qualify for CDBG funds, 51% of the program beneficiaries must be low- to moderate-income as defined by HUD. The following table reflects the current HUD income limits for one- to eight-person households who earn at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Cobb County, Georgia.
2024 CDBG MAXIMUM HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMITS
EFFECTIVE: May 1, 2024
| Family/ Household Size | Extremely Low | Very Low Income 50% | Low Income 80% |
| 1 | $22,600.00 | $37,650.00 | $60,200.00 |
| 2 | $25,800.00 | $43,000.00 | $68,800.00 |
| 3 | $29,050.00 | $48,400.00 | $77,400.00 |
| 4 | $32,250.00 | $53,750.00 | $86,000.00 |
| 5 | $34,850.00 | $58,050.00 | $92,900.00 |
| 6 | $37,450.00 | $62,350.00 | $99,800.00 |
| 7 | $40,000.00 | $66,650.00 | $106,650.00 |
| 8 | $42,600.00 | $70,950.00 | $113,550.00 |
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) https://www.hudexchange.info/
CDBG QUALIFYING CRITERIA
The criteria for how CDBG activities benefit low and moderate income (L/M) persons are categorized as follows:
Area Benefit Activities: These activities must benefit all residents in a particular service area where at least 51% of persons in the service area are low-to-moderate income, per most recent U.S. Census Data.
The service area is determined based upon the nature of the activity, location of the activity, accessibility issues, availability of comparable activities, and boundaries for public facilities and public services. Service area must be determined prior to the provision of CDBG assistance. Examples of eligible activities include infrastructure, public facilities, and economic development.
Limited Clientele Activities: At least 51% of the beneficiaries of the proposed project activity must be low-to moderate income. In contrast to the area benefit category, it is not the low-to-moderate concentration of the service area of the activity that determines whether the activity will qualify or not, but rather the actual number of low-to-moderate income persons that benefit from the activity.
Activities in this category provide benefits to a specific group of persons rather than everyone in an area. It may benefit persons without regard to their residence, or it may be an activity that provides a benefit to only particular persons within a specific area.
Examples of activities that qualify under the limited clientele category include:
• Acquisition of a building to be converted into a shelter for the homeless;
• Rehabilitation of a center for training severely disabled persons to enable them to live independently;
• Clearance of a structure from the future site of a neighborhood center that will exclusively serve the elderly; and
• Public services activities.
Economic Development Activities: Low- to-moderate job creation or retention activities. These activities must be undertaken with the purpose of creating or retaining permanent jobs of which at least 51% (computed on a full-time equivalent basis) will be made available to or held by low-and moderate-income persons.
Housing Activities: Activities that are undertaken for the purpose of providing or improving permanent residential structures which, upon completion, will be occupied by at least 51% low and moderate-income households.
2026 Grant Allocation Funding Priorities
In 2024, the Cobb County CDBG Program Office conducted a Strategic Plan Assessment for Cobb County. This document is a compilation of preplanning surveys and data analysis gathered from local nonprofit organizations, tri-partite board and CDBG Program Office staff. The results of the surveys formed the foundation for the following goals, outcomes and strategies as listed in the Plan.
Housing insecurity is a pervasive issue in the region, with 72,310 families, or 24.83% of the population, spending more than 30% of their income on rent, mortgage, and utilities, making them housing cost-burdened. Renters are impacted with nearly half (41.89%) being cost burdened compared to 16.24% of homeowners. As reflected in the Strategic Plan, mental health concerns are also growing, with 14% of residents experiencing frequent distress, and the prevalence of serious mental illness and suicidal thoughts rising in recent years.
The following barriers were identified in the 2024 Strategic Plan:
- Employment and Education: Youth and Individuals lack the skills and qualifications needed to secure meaningful employment.
- Income Inequality: Individuals and Seniors lack adequate income to meet basic household needs
- Substance Abuse: Individuals are addicted to unhealthy substances
- Domestic Violence and Unsafe Living Conditions: Individuals and children are living in unsafe home environments
- Homelessness: Cobb County faces a homelessness crisis, with 451 individuals identified as homeless, including veterans and those chronically homeless. The rising cost of housing and limited affordable units contribute to this issue.
- Housing Insecurity: Over 24% of households in Cobb County are housing cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Renters are especially affected, leading to financial instability and an increased risk of homelessness.
- Mental Health Issues: Individuals have poor mental health
As a result of these identified barriers in the County’s 2024 Strategic Plan, the Cobb County CDBG Program Office has developed funding allocation priorities for the County’s 2026 HUD grant application cycle.
2026 CDBG Funding Priorities | Allocation Percentage |
|---|---|
| CDBG (Public Services Cap 15%) | |
| Youth Assistance Programs | 1% |
| Re-entry Assistance Program | 1% |
| Rental Housing Assistance | 2% |
| Case Management | 2% |
| Homeless Prevention Assistance | 3% |
Homeless Activities | 3% |
| Job Training Assistance | 1% |
| Domestic Violence Assistance Programs | 1% |
| CDBG Other Activities | |
| Public Facility Activities | 32% |
| Municipality Fair Share | 22% |
| Minor Home Repair Program | 12% |
| Planning & Administration | 20% |
| CDBG TOTAL ALLOCATION | 100% |