Community Development expects $745K CDBG funding again this year

By The Advocate

The City’s Community Development Program Manager, Megan Ragab, gave the city a detailed infomercial on this year’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) this week.

Last year, Revere received an annual grant of $745,808 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Ragab said the city expects a similar level of funding this year. She will spend the next few months developing an action plan for the funding.

The money can be spent on a variety of needs. Ragab said that last year $300,000 was used to provide small business loans to 13 local businesses. But funding also goes towards housing, repairs and improvements of public facilities, infrastructure improvements, such as road and sidewalk repairs, maintenance of parks and athletic fields and support for organizations that assist the community. However, 70 percent of the grant must be used for projects that benefit the city’s low- to moderate-income population.

For many, the exciting part of the CDBG is that 15 percent of the award can be used for public service projects. Neighborhoods and small organizations can rally together and apply for funding for projects. Neighborhood sports leagues, cultural festivals and park improvements have all been funded by CDBG awards.

Ragab will gather all requests for funding and present them to the community before submitting the city’s action plan to HUD at the end of June. The money will be available for projects sometime in September.

Affordable Housing Trust expects surge in new housing applications

The Affordable Housing Trust Fund board had good news this month for people on both ends of the housing spectrum. The city’s First Time Homebuyer program received a significant infusion of New Year funding thanks to state Sen. Lydia Edwards. The program has reopened and there will be more chances for households looking for assistance.

Board Chairman Tom Gravellese reminded those watching that they didn’t need to have a property picked out to apply for the aid. “You have six months to find a property,” he said, adding that that would put people in spring when the buying season heats up. “It’s a terrific opportunity.”

Director of Planning and Community Development Tom Skwierawski said his office is looking forward to new applications. Applicants must have two years of residency in Revere and meet economic guidelines.

The board is also looking at launching a home repair program that will help residents continue to age in place. The home repair program will focus on work that needs to be done to increase accessibility, such as wheelchair ramps, railings, lifts and other accommodations. The board had been looking at partnering with Habitat for Humanity on a home repair program but they decided ultimately to create an individual program for Revere. Gravellese said the board would work with the City Council to find the funding needed to support the work. Although the board is still working out details, applicants must be Revere residents, meet the occupancy requirement and have an income of 80 percent average median income. They plan to have applications for the program available at the Senior Center.