Program Description

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money each year from the federal government to be used for grants to cities and towns for housing, community, and economic development projects to help low- and moderate-income residents, remove slums and blight, and/or fill a community need.

How it Works:

There are several different program components within the Massachusetts CDBG program. Each component differs in purpose, application requirements, award levels, and grant cycles.

Municipalities with a population under 50,000; and,
Municipalities which do not receive CDBG funds directly from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Communities may apply for a wide variety of community and economic development activities, including:

housing rehabilitation and housing related projects
infrastructure repair or replacement
construction or rehabilitation of community facilities
neighborhood improvement projects
economic development loans and other business assistance programs
social services projects
downtown improvement projects
architectural barrier removal projects
planning


Community Development Funds I and II (CDF I & II) are competitive programs to which cities and towns can apply to undertake any of the housing, community, and economic development project included above. Communities apply to CDF I or II depending upon a statistical need score generated by DHCD.

Economic Development Fund (EDF) provides grants to communities and loans to business supporting job creating/retention for a wide variety of small-to-medium sized economic development projects.


Housing Development Support Program (HDSP) provides partial financing support to small housing development projects.



Application Process:

DHCD reviews each application according to the respective program component's evaluation criteria. Each application must meet on of the National Objectives defined by HUD below:

benefit a majority of low- and moderate-income people;
aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight;
meet an urgent condition posing a serious threat to the health and welfare of the community where other financial resources are not available to meet such needs.


For More Information:

Please contact DHCD's Division of Community Services at 617-573-1400.
Division staff is also available by appointment to provide assistance with applications.