Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
On Aug. 16, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that 14 Massachusetts cities will receive more than $50.8 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing.
The HUD grants will also help find homes for homeless individuals and families and provide permanent housing for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
The fiscal 2011 Continuing Resolution significantly reduced overall funding for the CDBG and HOME programs compared to last year, however. The nation’s CDBG funding was reduced by more than $600 million (16.5 percent), while the HOME program funding was reduced by more than $200 million (11.7 percent).
The Massachusetts funding includes:
• $33 million in Community Development Block Grants
• $14.35 million in HOME Investment Partnerships funding
• $1.2 million in Emergency Shelter Grants
• $2.2 million for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program
The following communities are receiving the federal grants:
• Barnstable: $318,609 (CDBG)
• Boston: $17,496,605 (CDBG); $861,837 (ESG); $7,530,644 (HOME); $1,884,046 (HOPWA)
• Brockton: $1,385,917 (CDBG); $738,433 (HOME)
• Framingham: $483,568 (CDBG)
• Haverhill: $957,702 (CDBG)
• Lawrence: $1,583,448 (CDBG)
• Leominster: $463,574 (CDBG)
• Lynn: $2,300,639 (CDBG); $111,670 (ESG); $959,661 (HOME); $355,907 (HOPWA)
• Medford: $1,589,073 (CDBG)
• New Bedford: $2,741,178 (CDBG); $132,519 (ESG); $1,172,388 (HOME)
• Peabody Consortium: $419,664 (CDBG); $2,091,371 (HOME)
• Plymouth: $358,152 (CDGB)
• Quincy: $1,893,136 (CDBG); $90,686 (ESG); $872,799 (HOME)
• Salem: $1,042,096 (CDBG)
HUD also announced that its Office of Community Planning and Development is moving rapidly to implement its unified OneCPD technical assistance process, which is particularly important as many local governments continue to struggle with budgetary pressures resulting from the economic downturn.
Since 1974, HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program has provided $132 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. The rehabilitation of affordable housing and the improvement of public facilities have traditionally been the largest uses of CDBG funds.
The HOME Investment Partnerships program is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments dedicated to producing affordable housing for low-income families.
Emergency Shelter Grants provide homeless persons with basic shelter and essential supportive services. The grants can assist with the operational costs of shelter facilities.
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS grants are distributed to states and cities based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grants provide resources for operating community residences and providing rental assistance and support services to individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families.