The Small Cities Block Grant Program: An Assessment of Programmatic Change under State Control

This research considers the issues involved when grant-in-aid programs are shifted from the national government to the states, with special attention to the question of redistribution. The particular focus is on the small cities Community Development Block Grant program before and after state takeover. Certain theoretical literature suggests that redistribution will be more difficult to achieve as the decision-making arena is narrowed. Indeed, preliminary evidence from national data and from a more detailed study of one state shows that a state-managed small cities block grant program is likely to spread funds widely and to emphasize public works projects as opposed to housing rehabilitation and community services.