The Community Development Grant Division is responsible for administering the Community Development Block Grant in the city limits of Bristol, Tennessee.  The City of Bristol is classified by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as an "entitlement" city.  Based upon this classification, the City receives an annual allocation of funds to meet one of the following national objectives:

1.         Provide benefit to low and moderate-income families.

2.         Aid in the prevention of slums and blight.

3.         Address other community development needs having a particular urgency because of posing a
            serious or immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community and where there are no
            other financial resources available.

Programs include Affordable Homeownership grants, Rehabilitation loans and grants, funding to the YWCA for affordable child care, and support for the Code Division.

Citizens are encouraged to express views and make comments regarding the identification of housing and community development needs with the City of Bristol, Tennessee, and to respond to proposed projects annually in the one-year Action Plan.  Citizens are also encouraged to review and comment on the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER).

The City of Bristol, Tennessee also serves as the Lead Entity for the Northeast Tennessee/Virginia HOME Consortium.  Under the HOME Program of the U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), local governments are able to join together to form a "consortium" in order to receive HOME funding for affordable housing.  Forming a consortium enables local governments that would not otherwise qualify for HOME Program funding under the formula criteria to join with other units of local government to receive a direct allocation of funds.  This creates an opportunity for these jurisdictions to take a more regional, collaborative approach to meeting their affordable housing needs.  By definition, a consortium is a collaboration of local government entities – each with its own bureaucratic structure, elected leadership and legal requirements.  In order to carry out HOME activities and meet all HOME requirements, the consortium must create and operate as one new entity that is able to operate efficiently and effectively to assess affordable housing needs, develop a plan to address those needs, make funding decisions, carry out complex housing activities, self-monitor progress, account for expenditures and report to HUD.

The Northeast Tennessee/Virginia HOME Consortium (the only HOME Consortium in the State of Tennessee) was initially funded July 1, 2003.  In 2003-04, the original members of the Consortium were Bristol, Tennessee & Virginia, Bluff City, Johnson City and Kingsport.  In 2005-06, Sullivan and Washington County, Tennessee, joined the Consortium, and in 2007-08, the City of Jonesborough, Tennessee, became a member of the Consortium.

Resources:

Application Forms:

Boards:

Staff Members:

Links:

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Photos Courtesy of Malcolm J. Wilson and Bristol News Paper 
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