Aiken, SC – The Neighborhood Services Department of the City of Aiken hosted a public meeting regarding the allocation of funds from the Community Development Block Grant. Residents of the City of Aiken came to voice their concerns and ideas on how the funds should be spent by the Neighborhood Services Department.

Last year Aiken received $182,000 through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is dispersed to assist low and moderate income housing areas throughout the city. Sabina Craig, Neighborhood Services Director for the City of Aiken, spoke to about the specifics of the CDBG, “We are an entitlement, which means that we do a continuation of an application. We don’t have to apply for the funds each year.”

Residents from neighborhoods that receive CDBG Funds gathered at the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center to voice their opinions and concerns on how the funds should be spent. Different areas of concern for residents included pot holes, lack of street lights, and long waits at traffic lights to name a few.

“Some neighborhoods may need sidewalks, so may need streetlights,  others may need activities for the youth in that area. So, what’s more important to them is what I need to hear,  So I know how to divvy up the funds and allocate them.” said Sabina Craig.

According to the 2024 Annual Action Plan, the CDBG helped fund the Lot Clean Up Program which assisted 40 households; the Demolition Program, and Land Acquisition among other projects.

Comments and concerns from Thursday’s meeting will be presented to the Aiken City Council in the 2025 Annual Action Plan by the Neighborhood Services Department. For more information on the Aiken CDBG visit