Press Release Baker-Polito Administration Announces $20 Million to Support Vital Social Services, Small Businesses

BOSTON — Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced $19.6 million for municipalities to address emergency needs in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. This funding will support 174 communities in their work to provide vital services to low-income residents and small businesses affected by the recent outbreak.

Local governments and regional consortiums will fund social services, including homelessness prevention, food pantries and assistance, and job training for in-demand health care workers and technicians. Many communities will also make grants available for local small businesses with five or less employees. 36 lead awardees will organize within their respective municipality or region to deliver services.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) made this $19.6 million award through the federally-funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Congress allocated new emergency funding for the program through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act – the CARES Act – to address substantial needs in low and moderate-income communities affected by the pandemic. DHCD has received $46 million in special CDBG funds so far, and is distributing funding across municipalities and stakeholders to meet increased needs, with a focus on helping households maintain housing stability.

In June, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a $20 million Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance program, which is also funded in part through this federal allocation. This new fund will help more low-income households who have lost employment or income due to the pandemic maintain stable housing, and builds on DHCD’s existing homelessness prevention program, RAFT. In March, Governor Baker announced a $5 million infusion for the fund to address increased need.
 
DHCD has received more than $160 million in federal funding through the CARES Act, including more than $20 million that has been distributed to Community Action Agencies for anti-poverty work, and is preparing to allocate additional funding for shelter providers. DHCD continues to be in close contact with the stakeholder network, and is working with CHAPA and Mass Housing Partnership to track local emergency rental assistance programs and other resources available to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
This month, the Baker-Polito Administration unveiled a COVID-19 economic recovery package to respond to challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The $275 million package, designed to promote equity across the Commonwealth, includes $85 million for housing efforts, including investments in neighborhood stabilization and sustainable, climate resilient affordable housing, as well as $50 million in targeted relief for small and minority-owned businesses.

CDBG-CV Grant Awardees (Bold denotes the lead applicant)

Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Dalton, Florida, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, New Ashford, Peru, Savoy, Williamstown, and Windsor will receive $850,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Agawam and Southwick will receive $435,000 for microenterprise assistance and food assistance.

Amesbury and Newburyport will receive $800,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Amherst will receive $321,577 for microenterprise assistance, job training, food pantry assistance, housing support, and services for homeless individuals.

Ashland, Beverly, Burlington, Canton, Concord, Dedham, Essex, Lexington, Manchester by the Sea, Marlborough, Melrose, Milton, Natick, North Reading, Norwood, Randolph, Reading, Sharon, Southborough, Stoneham, Watertown, Winchester, and Woburn will receive $4,950,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Athol, Phillipston, Templeton, and Winchendon will receive $454,951 for microenterprise assistance, food assistance, elder home care assistance, homelessness prevention services.

Ayer will receive $309,510 for microenterprise assistance.

Bellingham, Foxborough, Franklin, Medfield, Walpole, and Wrentham will receive $683,100 for microenterprise assistance and food assistance for local food banks.

Billerica will receive $225,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Burlington and Bedford will receive $321,578 for a job training program for health care and life sciences jobs.

Chester, Blandford, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, and Russell will receive $100,572 for food assistance, job training program, case management support services.

Chesterfield, Ashfield, Blandford, Chester, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Plainfield, and Williamsburg, Worthington will receive $414,000 for microenterprise assistance and food assistance.

Dennis will receive $200,042 for microenterprise assistance and for a grocery and meal delivery program for elders and HEAD start students.

Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, South Hadley, Southampton, and Westhampton will receive $900,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Edgartown, West Tisbury, Tisbury, Aquinnah, Oak Bluffs, and Chilmark will receive $377,196 for microenterprise assistance and homelessness assistance.

Everett and Chelsea will receive $800,000 for microenterprise assistance and to deliver public social services including food support, job training, family and youth services, adult literacy and workforce development, and domestic violence prevention.

Gardner will receive $400,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Greenfield, Ashfield, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Leyden, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Shelburne, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick Wendell, and Whately will receive $690,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Leicester, Brookfield, Dudley, Millbury, North Brookfield, and West Brookfield will receive $376,000 for microenterprise assistance, food assistance, and services for seniors.

Lenox, Lee, Richmond, Washington, Becket, Stockbridge, West Stockbridge, Alford, Tyringham, Otis, Sandisfield, Monterey, New Marlborough, Great Barrington, Egremont, Sheffield, and Mount Washington will receive $765,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Methuen will receive $400,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Middleborough will receive $90,000 for microenterprise assistance.

North Adams will receive $121,050 for microenterprise assistance.

Orange and Montague will receive $95,466 to provide virtual literacy services for adult learners, virtual mediation services, meals and wellness checks for seniors, and food assistance.

Palmer, Belchertown, Hampden, Hardwick, Ludlow, Monson, and Ware will receive $882,871 for microenterprise assistance, food assistance and senior services.

Rockland, Avon, Abington, Holbrook, Hull, and Wareham will receive $662,400 for microenterprise assistance, food assistance, and homelessness prevention.

Salisbury will receive $365,500 for microenterprise assistance, a youth scholarship program, and food assistance.

Saugus will receive $360,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Shirley, Lunenburg, Royalston, Townsend, and Westminster will receive $296,100 for microenterprise assistance and to deliver food assistance to local pantries.

Southbridge, Sturbridge, and Charlton will receive $250,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Spencer will receive $250,000 for microenterprise assistance and food assistance.

Stoughton will receive $400,000 for microenterprise assistance.

Truro, Provincetown, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans, Chatham, Brewster, and Harwich will receive $382,777 for microenterprise assistance.

Ware, Hardwick, Warren, Agawam, Belchertown, Blandford, Brimfield, Chester, East Longmeadow, Granby, Granville, Hadley, Hampden, Hatfield, Holland, Huntington, Ludlow, Middlefield, Monson, Montgomery, Russell, South Hadley, Southampton, Southwick, Wales, Chesterfield, Palmer, Plainfield, and Westhampton will receive $430,576 for a domestic violence victim safety program, a senior outreach program and a virtual adult literacy program.

Warren will receive $151,200 for microenterprise assistance.

West Springfield will receive $140,410 for a virtual learning program for youth and for food assistance programs.

###