NASHUA, NH – The Human Affairs Committee gave their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding recommendations for the 2025 fiscal year at its March 18 meeting.
A total of 18 organizations submitted applications for a total of $1,022,452 in CDBG funds for various needs. The full list of organizations, what projects they applied for and the amount of money requested is below:
In attendance to present their needs before the committee were:
- Kim Shottes, executive director of PLUS Company;
- Jane Goodman, executive director of Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter;
- Matt Sullivan from the Community Development Division;
- Michelle Beeny from Gateway Community Services;
- Mark Saunders from the Public Works Division;
- Brian Crawford, Joanne Perez and Pamela Wellman from Family Promise of Southern NH;
- Liz Hannum, director of economic development for a development plan and a downtown face project.
“Community Development Block Grant is [funded] through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It’s intended to better the lives of neighborhoods of lower income residents,” said Urban Programs Manager, Julian Long. “The city of Nashua is what they call an entitlement community, that means we receive annual allocation every year we don’t have to apply for the funds. What we do instead is we put together an action plan saying this is what we intend to spend the funds on and we submit an annual report to HUD saying here’s our progress for the last program year.”
The estimated CDBG funds for the 2025 fiscal year used by the board for reference was $530,662, an assumed 15 percent reduction of last year’s amount of $624,308.
The recommendations from the committee brought this number down to $691,917.29. The board’s recommendation is higher than the estimated annual allocation as unspent funds from previous years are reallocated and program income is sometimes received.
A list of the amendments and recommendations are below:
The recommendations made by the board will be incorporated into the city’s draft annual action plan which will be posted on the city’s website. A public notice will be published announcing a public hearing and comment session that will take place at the Human Affairs Committee meeting in April. Once funding is approved, the action plan will be presented to the Board of Aldermen in May.