Hartford gets $247,200 to construct 21 new apartments
On Thursday, July 23, Governor Phil Scott announced over $2.4 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) awards to eight communities in seven Vermont counties. The Vermont Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) awards approximately $7 million annually in competitive grants to Vermont cities and towns.
“These grants support projects that strengthen local communities and make them better places to live and work, whether it’s launching new businesses, improving housing and downtowns or preserving and creating jobs,” said Scott. “We are grateful to the congressional delegation for their continued dedication to securing these funds for Vermont, especially as we work together to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing economic crisis.”
The grants are funded through the federal CDBG program, administered by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Funding is targeted to address the needs of lower-income Vermonters and represents partnership between federal, state and local government.
The largest grant in this round was awarded to the town of Swanton to provide a deferred loan to Leader Evaporator Company to preserve up to 58 existing jobs at the 132-year-old business.
U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders along with U.S. Congressman Peter Welch have been steadfast in their support of the funding that makes this program possible, most recently securing an additional $6.2 million in CDBG funding to help the state respond to housing and business needs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Community Development Block Grant awards
Town of Brighton ($40,000): Grant to complete a preliminary engineering study for downtown Island Pond streetscape.
Town of Hardwick ($100,000): Subgrant to the Jeudivine Memorial Library to support the renovations to become fully ADA compliant.
Town of Hartford ($247,200): Subgrant to Twin Pines Housing to construct 21 new apartments within the designated growth center, 16 of which will be affordable housing.
Town of Johnson ($300,000): Subgrant to Jenna’s Promise LLC to rehabilitate and revitalize a vacant building downtown into a coffee shop and supportive housing for up to eight women in recovery from substance use.
Town of Rockingham ($242,745): Subgrant to Windham and Windsor Housing Trust to support the renovation of the former Bellows Falls Garage located downtown. The project will create 26 new apartments, 20 of which will be affordable housing.
City of St. Albans ($500,000): Subgrant to Almond Blossoms Schoolhouse for the renovation and expansion of a childcare and pre-school facility to increase capacity from 30 children to 60 children.
Town of St. George ($46,072): Subgrant to the St. George Community Cooperative to assess the condition of drinking-water, septic and wastewater.
Town of Swanton ($1,000,000): Loan to Leader Evaporator for capital necessary to retain 58 jobs.
