Miami, Arizona Designated Colonia in Gila County Under National Affordable Housing Act's CDBG Set-aside Program

Let's see what I learned today (thanks to the Prison Planet forum for this tip). Today, I learned what a "Colonias" is.

Do you know what Colonias is? If you do, then you are way ahead of me in the game. If you don't have a clue about what a Colonias is, then please read on about how the town of Miami, Arizona in Gila County just became a Colonia. The official information from the Housing and Urban Development under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program follows the Miami, Arizona story.

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What Is a "Colonia?"

Colonias are rural communities located within 150 miles of the US-Mexican Border. They often lack the basic necessities most Americans take for granted - running water, electricity, and paved roads. These mostly unincorporated communities began to be developed in the 1950s and continue to exist for a variety of reasons, such as poor land use regulations. Without safe, sanitary and affordable housing, drinkable water, sewer and drainage systems, colonias struggle with issues often associated with "Third World" countries.

What is the Colonia Set-aside Program? Texas, Arizona, California and New Mexico set aside up to 10 percent of their State CDBG funds for use in colonias. The set-aside funds are used for all CDBG-eligible activities that meet the needs of colonias. Most of the funds have been expended on water and sewer and housing assistance.

The Legislation The National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, section 916, required the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California to set aside 10 percent of their CDBG funds in FY 1991 for colonias. For FY 1992 through FY 1994, HUD, in consultation with representatives of the colonias, determined an appropriate set-aside percentage, not exceeding 10 percent, for each of the four states. The set-aside was voluntary in FY 1995; it was required by the Appropriations Act in FY 1996, and made permanent by the 1997 appropriations act. Since 1997, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona have set aside 10% of their CDBG funds for colonias, while California has fluctuated between two and five percent during those years.

Definition for the Colonias Set-aside Program For the purposes of this program, the definition of a colonia is any identifiable community in the U.S.-Mexico border regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas that is determined to be a colonia on the basis of objective criteria, including lack of a potable water supply, inadequate sewage systems, and a shortage of decent, safe, and sanitary housing. The border region means the area within 150 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border excluding Metropolitan Statistical Areas with populations exceeding one million.