Wayman: CDBG administrator
UPDATED, April 23: The Town of Arlington invited the public to join in a celebration of the town’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program on Wednesday, April 19, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. at the Arlington Boys & Girls Club.
An estimated 30 people heard from local and elected officials and grantees about the importance of the grant program and the impact it has had on our community for the past 42 years.
Read a summary, plus opinion, about what took place >>
Pam Hallett, executive director of the Housing Corporation of Arlington, discussed affordable-housing production in Arlington.
Invited to the public event were U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, as well as state Reps. Sean Garballey and Dave Rogers. The latter two as well as Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine and Selectman Steve Byrne were present,
The event agenda was:
8:30-8:45 a.m., refreshments;
8:45-9:30 a.m., local and elected officials and grantees will discuss the impact and success of Arlington’s Community Development Block Grant program;
9:30-9:45 a.m., closing activity with Arlington Boys and Girls Club.
The CDBG, a program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was created in 1974 as part of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. The primary aim of Title I is developing viable communities by providing the following, principally for persons of low-and moderate-income: decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities.
Historically, Arlington’s use of the funds has focused most on rehabilitating and constructing affordable housing, public-service activities, and public facility and infrastructure improvements.
This year, and based on prior-year funding amounts, Arlington hopes to receive $1,097,342.
The Board of Selectmen on March 27 endorsed Town Meeting Article 59, which would make the Arlington a symbolic “sanctuary town,” if approved at this spring’s meeting. During earlier public discussion of this issues, some have feared the town would lose block-grant funding.
Recently, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session’s threatened the loss of Department of Justice funds if local communities did not adhere to the White House stance on immigrants. In January, President Trump made a similar threat, referring to all federal funds.
After that claim, YourArlington asked Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine Jan. 25 what money might be affected, and in the earliest report of this information, he listed federal grants totaling $6,312,296. For fiscal 2016, they were:
Federal education grants, $4,121,850;
Federal Energy Management Agency reimbursements, $39,147;
Community Development Block Grants, $1,261,571;
Other federal Housing and Urban Development grants, $889,728.
The threat appears unliklely to be upheld by the courts. Still, the town is dedicating a program to illustrate the importance of the funds to the community.
In a news release, the town said that the National Community Development Association has found that every $1 of CDBG money leverages another $3.65 in other funding — bringing additional resources to communities that support jobs, businesses and, most important, the people who live there.
In Arlington, every dollar of CDBG funds spent on the development and upkeep of affordable housing has leveraged $1.54 in HOME and other federal funding, $2.31 in private financing and $5.94 in total development costs.
Since 2001, more than $5 million in CDBG funds have been allocated to affordable housing, helping to leverage nearly $8 million in HOME and other federal funding, nearly $12 million in private financing and just over $30 million in total development costs.
For questions or more information, contact Julie Wayman, CDBG administrator, Department of Planning and Community Development at jwayman[@]town.arlington.ma.us or 781-316-3094.
March 28, 2017: AG’s threat on immigration would not affect Arlington
This news announcement was published Monday, April 3, 2017, and updated April 23, to add link.
