From Nation to States: The Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program

The advent of the Reagan administration’s "New Federalism" initiatives in 1981 impacted state government in numerous ways. One example of this new era in intergovernmental relations is the transfer of responsibility of the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to state governments. This volume provides an overview of the Small Cities CDBG program, an analysis of its politics, and an examination of the grant award processes established by the states. It concludes with an assessment of the consequences of state assumption for program activities, outcomes, and administration. Assessing the program transfer within the context of theories and practices of intergovernmental relations and policy execution, the book provides rich contextual information and a thorough comparison of implementation activities and outputs in seven states.