Amherst keeps CDBG grant eligibility

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on November 06, 2009

Amherst's status as a mini-entitlement community eligible for more than $600,000 in grants annually will continue for at least the next two years.

With the state Department of Housing and Community Development determining that Amherst is still a mini-entitlement community, Town Manager Larry Shaffer said Amherst will be able to stay the course in assisting social service agencies with an alternative source of funding.

"This allows us to maintain a commitment to those agencies without any impact on the town tax side," Shaffer said.

Over ongoing budget problems, Amherst this year cut municipal funding to social services agencies. Where they were receiving more than $100,000 three years ago, they now get nothing.

Instead, $80,000 in Community Development Block Grant money has been dispensed to the Amherst Survival Center, Family Outreach and Big Brother Big Sisters, and other arrangements were made with some agencies.

Some CDBG money has also gone to pay salaries, including that of Roy Rosenblatt, community development director, and for renovations, including $260,000 for the North Amherst building that houses the Survival Center and the Head Start program.

In the past, the town has used $350,000 in CDBG grants to aid in getting affordable rental units built on Main Street and $150,000 for a mortgage subsidy program.

Greenfield, North Adams and West Springfield are among the nine mini-entitlement communities for the next two years. Communities are chosen based on high statistical indication of need, poverty rate and size, according the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.

A public hearing on CDBG funding is set for Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. Applications for mini-entitlement funding are due to the state on Feb. 12. For more information, call 259-3117.

Written comments may be submitted to the Community Services Department by email to community@amherstma.gov.

For more information, call 259-3117.