Most Key Urban Programs See Level Funding, Slight Increases in FY98

In the final Congressional rush to complete action on the 13 appropriations bills for FY 1998, key urban programs generally received funding equal to or greater that in the previous year. The chart on page 10 contains complete information on FY98 funding levels. Of particular note:

• Brownfields redevelopment was funded for the first time in a HUD budget at $25 million, and brownfields funding at EPA increased from $38 million to $86 million.

• The National Endowment for the Arts, which came under strong attack and faced possible elimination, was funded at $98 million, just shy of the previous year's funding level.

• CDBG increased to from $4 billion to $4.675 billion, but set-asides also had dramatic a increase from nearly $300 million to $500 million.

• HOME increased by $100 million, from $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion.

• Section 8 renewals accounted for most of the HUD budget increase. Funding of Section 8 renewals averted a potential crisis in low-income housing.

• Despite continual threats, the Summer Youth Employment program was level funded, and Adult Training was increased slightly.

• The COPS program was funded at $1.4 billion; the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant was funded at $523 billion, with $20 million earmarked for Boys and Girls Clubs in public housing facilities and other areas, and another $20 million for technology.

• A new Opportunity Areas for Out-of-School Youth program was funded at $250 million to provide grants to certain Empowerment Zone, Enterprise Community, and other communities meeting similar criteria to reduce unemployment among out-of-school youth, pending authorization.