Downtown Scottsbluff has been humming this summer with live music, farmers markets, and festivals. The city’s Bands on Broadway series offers free concerts on Thursday evenings for ten weeks from June to mid-August. The 18th Street Farmers Market—held every Saturday morning from June through September—features everything from delicious baked goods to locally raised beef to the artistic creations of local crafters. The Best of the West Beer and Wine Festival on June 22nd offered a taste of home-brewed beverages and helped raise $11,000 for Life Change Connections, a local nonprofit that empowers kids affected by diabetes.
All of these events have taken place at 18th Street Plaza, a beautiful outdoor space that officially opened in downtown Scottsbluff on June 1, 2023. While the plaza is barely a year old, the process of developing it began all the way back in 2010. That’s when the city formed a downtown revitalization task force, supported by a planning grant from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The task force called for creation of the plaza, and a subsequent CDBG grant provided funding to help develop it.
“The overall impact that CDBG dollars have made in Scottsbluff has been tremendous,” said Mayor Jeanne McKerrigan. “Without these dollars, many projects would not have been able to come to fruition. For example, the 18th Street Plaza in downtown Scottsbluff is one of our biggest projects that developed from CDBG funds through our Comprehensive Plan. This Plaza is becoming the heart of our community.”
Now in its 50th year, the CDBG program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development administers CDBG program funds in the state to help communities enhance economic well-being, local vitality, and quality of life.
In addition to using CDBG grants to develop the 18th Street Plaza, the City of Scottsbluff has leveraged CDBG funding to invest in housing. In 2020, the city received a CDBG award for owner-occupied housing projects. These residential improvements have helped breathe new life into older homes.
“The Owner-Occupied Rehab Projects have been very successful in providing funds for lead testing, energy efficiency in homes, and more,” said Mayor McKerrigan. “Without the support of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, these projects would not have been feasible. We appreciate all of the support.”
Communities interested in applying for CDBG funding can learn more at: https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/cdbg and https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/success/. An annual resource, the Nebraska CDBG Program supports projects across most of the state. Some cities in Nebraska are the administrators of CDBG in their communities—this includes Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, and Grand Island.