July 30, 2024
Worcester, MA – In July, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) announced that seven member communities have been awarded grants through the Fiscal Year 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The towns receiving these grants include Hardwick, Millbury, North Brookfield, Northbridge, Southbridge, Warren, and Webster. Collectively, over $6 million in CDBG funds will be allocated for various grant-funded activities within the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) region.
The Fiscal Year 2024 CDBG grants, originating from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and subsequently administered by the State, total $39 million across Massachusetts. The Community Development Block Grant program is designed to assist smaller communities that do not receive CDBG funding directly from HUD. These grants support a wide range of activities aimed at benefiting low-to-moderate income populations and addressing or mitigating blighted physical conditions. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, with the exception of ten “Mini Entitlement” communities, including Southbridge and Webster, which receive automatic funding.
For FY24, CMRPC’s Community Development Division helped the towns of Athol, Hardwick, Millbury, North Brookfield, and Warren in their grant applications and will oversee the administration of their respective grants and projects. A total of $4.4 million in grants will be utilized for various purposes, including designing and building neighborhood or housing-related infrastructure improvements in Athol, Hardwick, Millbury, North Brookfield, and Warren, as well as planning or designing enhancements to town parks in Hardwick and Warren.
Janet Pierce, Executive Director of CMRPC, stated, “These grants represent a significant opportunity for our communities to advance critical infrastructure enhancements. The funding will help to address essential needs and enhance the quality of life for residents across the region. We are incredibly grateful to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for their continued support and commitment to our communities.”
For additional information about CMRPC’s community development initiatives, please contact Andrew Loew, Director of Community Development at aloew@cmrpc.org.
Founded by the Legislature in 1963, CMRPC provides a variety of services to its constituencies and brings a regional perspective to planning and development. One of 13 Regional Planning Agencies in Massachusetts, CMRPC serves the City of Worcester and 39 surrounding communities in the southern two-thirds of Worcester County. CMRPC’s programs include Transportation, Regional Collaboration and Community Planning, and Geographic Information Systems.
