Daily News

State Awards $28 Million in Community Development Block Grants

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration awarded 34 Community Development Block Grants, totaling $28 million, to a total of 57 cities and towns across the Commonwealth yesterday. The Community Development Block Grant program provides competitive funding that allows municipalities to pursue economic-development projects and support the needs of low- and moderate-income residents.

“Our assistance to municipalities is most effective when it provides flexibility to directly support their established goals,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “Community Development Block Grants provide for investment in wide-ranging improvements that will bring long-term, positive impacts in these communities.”

This year’s Community Development Block Grant awards will allow municipalities across Massachusetts to redevelop housing and local infrastructure, and provide for a variety of social services, including child-care assistance, elder services and domestic-violence-prevention programs.

“Residents across the Commonwealth will see marked improvements in the livability of their communities through these Community Development Block Grant awards,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. “These awards will help further progress at the local level, and allow municipalities to pursue a bright future for their community.”

The grant awards to Western Mass. communities include:

• Amherst, $825,000 for Boltwood Walk accessibility improvements, Health Center HVAC improvements, Housing Authority modernization projects, and to provide services related to homelessness, after-school and literacy programming, youth mentoring, and family stabilization.

• Bernardston, Rowe, and Gill, $1 million to provide housing-rehabilitation assistance for 18 units of housing, and to provide a fuel-assistance program.

• Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield, Westhampton, and Worthington, $894,110 to provide housing-rehabilitation assistance for 13 units of housing, and to provide childcare assistance, elder services, and a food pantry.

• Easthampton, $800,000 to provide improvements in the Admiral Street neighborhood, and for housing-rehabilitation assistance for three units of housing.

• Greenfield, $825,000 for housing rehabilitation assistance for nine units of housing, infrastructure improvements to School Street, and to support a food pantry and youth and elder services.

• Huntington, Middlefield, and Chester, $753,226 for infrastructure improvements to Pleasant Street, a senior-center feasibility study, housing-rehabilitation assistance for seven units of housing, and to provide senior services, adult education, a food pantry, and domestic-violence-prevention services.

• Montague, $816,263 for housing-rehabilitation assistance for four units of housing, lighting improvements to Avenue A, and to provide youth-leadership, family-literacy, and elder services.

• North Adams, $825,000 for improvements to a community center, park improvements, a historic-properties inventory, and social services.

• Palmer, $807,862 for infrastructure improvements to Stewart Street, to provide housing-rehabilitation assistance for four units of housing, and to support financial-literacy and domestic-violence-prevention services.

• Sheffield and Great Barrington, $923,983 to provide housing rehabilitation for 14 units of housing, Sheffield Town Hall accessibility improvements, and design for new sidewalks and for circulation, drainage, and parking-capacity improvements at the Housatonic Community Center.

• Shelburne, Buckland, and Colrain, $961,382 for improvements to North Street (Buckland), to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for five units of housing, and to support a food pantry.

• Southwick and Granville, $900,000 to provide housing-rehabilitation assistance for nine units of housing, infrastructure improvements at Veteran Street, and a food pantry.

• Ware, $800,000 for infrastructure improvements to Prospect Street, design services for Bank and Spring Street improvements, and to support for domestic-violence-prevention services.

• Warren, Hardwick, and Ware, $724,000 for School Street neighborhood design, housing rehabilitation assistance for 14 units of housing, and for support services related to adult education, community health, and domestic-violence prevention.

• West Springfield, $825,000 for improvements to Memorial Playground, housing-rehabilitation assistance for 11 units of housing, code enforcement, Boys and Girls Club facility improvements, and support for services related to family self-sufficiency and homebuyer programs, ESOL, camp scholarships, and Head Start.