Abstract:
This case traces the experience of Gainesville, Georgia, with federal grants for community development. Part A describes the genesis and development of Gainesville's Model Cities program from 1967 until 1973. The city, generally conservative and resistant to involvement in federal programs, had nevertheless applied for and received designation as a Model City. The case provides background on Gainesville and its earlier experiences with urban renewal, and then traces the successful efforts of two young administrators as they win support for the Model Cities program from Gainesville's citizens and administration, and supplementary funding from the state and federal government. Part B describes the Nixon administration's policies and congressional deliberations that led to creation of the Community Development Block Grants program in 1974, and asks what the consequences of this new funding arrangement will be for Gainesville. Part C follows Gainesville as it adapts to the new CDBG program.
Learning Objective:
Together, these cases follow the Gainesville community development program for more than a decade-exploring local politics, interactions between the city and federal program officials and the entrepreneurial activities of the Gainesville program director. The setting also allows discussion of the characteristics of small city politics and management.
