December 2016 | Business View Magazine

42 43 The National Community Development Association THe NAtiONAL COmmuNity DeveLOpmeNt ASSOciAtiON Representing those who administer federal programs The National Community Development Associ- ation (NCDA) is a national, nonprofit organization comprised of more than 300 local governments across ten regions in the country that administer federally-supported, community and economic de- velopment, housing, and human service programs, including those of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Commu- nity Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs. Vicki Watson is the NCDA’s Executive Director, responsible for the operation of the organization, as well as its policy and legislative agenda. She explains that the NCDA’s immediate precursor was an association called the Model Cities Director Association, which was created to help implement the Model Cities Program of the late 1960s.“It was meant to help inner city areas with their slum and blight issues,” she says,“as well as provide other