BOUGHT AND PAID FOR, CDBG GRANTS REVEALED

A large amount of money is handed out every year through Hartford City Hall with very little notice or scrutiny.

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are handed out every year. Many of the Grants serve  valid purposes for funding City non-profits that actually provide services, but many more of the dollars amount to very little more than a political slush fund. Many of the dollar amounts are routinely handed out year after year with very little scrutiny or supervision or reporting as to their use.

Much of the money also goes to administrative costs and "Executive Director" positions as opposed to actual programming in the Community.

As an example of the alleged abuses, one Executive Director of a recipient on this years list, Zezzo House, was recently indicted for "misappropriating" thousands of dollars in Grant Money.
Steven F. Harvin, 53, of New Haven, was presented Tuesday to a federal magistrate to face charges of wire fraud and theft from programs receiving federal funds.  The former head of the Hartford nonprofit has been arrested on charges he stole federal money intended to benefit people afflicted with health challenges and HIV,  Federal authorities say.

Here is more on that story from the Hartford Business Journal
http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20180612/NEWS01/180619976/ex-head-of-zezzo-house-indicted-for-fraud


Here is a partial list of this years grants

2018 CDBG Funding by Kevin Brookman on Scribd