A key federal funding stream that supports housing, infrastructure and neighborhood improvements in Hamilton County could be eliminated under a proposed federal budget, putting millions of dollars in local projects at risk.
President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal is projected to cut nondefense discretionary spending by $73 billion, reducing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development budget by 13%. The plan calls for eliminating the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program entirely, according to the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization that provides data-driven analysis and policy recommendations.
The CDBG program provides annual grants to local governments to support housing, economic development and infrastructure, primarily for low- and moderate-income residents. Its flexibility allows communities to prioritize local needs, said Angela J. Rahman, Hamilton County’s community development administrator.
“That would be devastating because projects like these wouldn’t happen,” said Rahman.
Last year, Hamilton County received about $5 million in Community Development Block Grant and related federal funding. In 2025, about $3.4 million went to CDBG, alongside $1.3 million for the HOME program and $333,867 for the Emergency Solutions Grant, which helps people facing homelessness secure permanent housing.
County Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas said the funding is critical to maintaining progress across Hamilton County’s communities.
“[Funding] may be somewhat reduced, but I’m hoping this is just a delay and not a denial of our request because these investments are critical to bring about impact in our neighborhood,” Dumas said.
A playground project in Colerain Township, completed in 2024, shows how those dollars are used.
The renovated playground, located in the Skyline Acres neighborhood, opened in 2024 after the township received funding support through the CDBG program. The 1.5-acre site previously had a playground and basketball court, but lacked accessible features.
Hamilton County invested $73,600 in the project, helping transform the space into an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant playground.
Hamilton County’s projects operate on a three-year cycle. County officials say uncertainty around federal funding could delay or halt new work.
“We don’t fund any new projects for the current year until we have an understanding of the federal budget,” Rahman said.
In recent years, the county has had to wait until mid-spring to learn its funding levels due to delays in Congress passing a budget, she said.
If the CDBG program is eliminated, officials say new projects would not move forward at all.
According to the Democratic Appropriations Committee, cutting the program could force more than 1,000 local governments to abandon infrastructure projects and services for youth and seniors.
Dumas said the funding is especially important for smaller communities and areas outside Cincinnati, where it supports projects ranging from road improvements to building accessibility upgrades.
“It’s critical to us and what we want to do to continue to forward progress,” she said.