A Public Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 11 a.m. to receive comments on how Cobb County should use the $989.45  in interest income from the United States Department of Justice Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) for Fiscal Year 2020.

The meeting will be held at the Cobb County CDBG Program Office, 192 Anderson Street, Suite 150, Marietta, GA 30060.

The county proposes allocation of the money to LiveSAFE Resources, Inc. an organization for survivors of domestic violence.

A 30-day public comment period commenced on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 and will conclude on Monday, July 17, 2023.

Comments should be directed to the Cobb County CDBG Program Office at (770) 528-1455 or via email at publiccomments@cobbcountycdbg.com.  

The funding proposal will be on the Cobb County Board of Commissioners agenda for Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the JAG program describes it as follows:

Named after Edward “Eddie” R. Byrne, an officer in the New York City Police Department who was murdered while protecting a witness in a drug case, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program is the leading federal source of criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. Administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the JAG Program provides states, territories, tribes, and local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including: 

• law enforcement; 

• prosecution and court; 

• prevention and education;

 • corrections and community corrections, including reentry; 

• drug treatment and enforcement; 

• planning, evaluation, and technology improvement; 

• crime victim and witness initiatives; 

• mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams; and 

• implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives including, but not limited to mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts, and extreme risk protection order programs. 

About the Community Development Block Grant program

The Community Development Block grant program is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The HUD website describes the program as follows:

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. The program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383, as amended 42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq. The program was designed to reinforce several important values and principles of community development:

• CDBG’s flexibility empowers people and communities to design and implement strategies tailored to their own needs and priorities.
• CDBG’s emphasis on consolidated planning expands and strengthens partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector in enhancing community development.
• CDBG’s technical assistance activities and set-aside for grantees builds the capacity of these partners.