Planning and Development: Community Development

Phone Number

A street rehabilitation project in Blue Island, IL.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is the primary community development program of the federal government and is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The main objective of the CDBG program is the development of viable communities, including decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.

Cook County uses its CDBG funding primarily to support capital improvement projects (e.g., roads, sewers, facilities) and social services, including homeless prevention/intervention, development of public-private partnerships and planning in suburban Cook County.

Applications for 2025 are now open! Click here to learn more.

Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As explained on the HUD website, the program provides funding to:

Engage homeless individuals and families living on the street;
Improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families;
Help operate these shelters;
Provide essential services to shelter residents;
Rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families; and
Prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless.

Applications for 2025 are now open! Click here to learn more.

Please note: Per HUD regulations, Cook County community development funding for programs and projects is restricted to suburban Cook County. The City of Chicago has its own CDBG and ESG Programs.

Questions?

For more information on Cook County programming, please contact Susan Campbell, Director, Planning and Development at (312) 603-1000 or Susan.Campbell@cookcountyil.gov.