Washington, D.C. – In response to new guidance released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has partnered with HUD to provide a webinar titled, “Guidance on How to Use CDBG Funds for Code Enforcement Activities” on Wednesday, April 1, at 2 p.m. EDT.

HUD in October issued a Community Planning and Development Notice clarifying the number of ways communities, including those employing the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), may use CDBG funding to pay for such things as:

• Salaries of code enforcement officials

• Equipment utilized for carrying out official duties, such as vehicles, computers and tablets

• Training and personnel certification

“We are excited to be working with HUD to spread awareness to plumbing and other code enforcement officials about the great opportunities that exist in the CDBG program,” said Dain Hansen, IAPMO vice president of Government Relations. "Plumbing inspectors and code enforcement play a key role in keeping buildings safe and healthy, which is integral to CDBG's mission."

Officials from HUD’s Office of Block Grant Assistance will be presenting on what the new guidance means to code enforcement officials around the country. It will also cover how to determine geographic areas where CDBG funding can be used for code enforcement and how to maintain documentation. The webinar is free and open to the public. Registration can be accessed at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/354679141.

The CDBG program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD with an annual budget of approximately $3 billion.

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