“Given the current economic conditions and the growth in foreclosures, this year has been a very challenging one for all the housing and human service organizations in our region,” Delahunt said. “This assistance from HUD will help our communities deal with the growing numbers of families that need immediate assistance.”
The HOME program administered by the Cape Cod Commission received $753,465 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for funding affordable housing construction projects and providing first-time homebuyers assistance for down-payments and closing costs. To date, the HOME program has funded 56 affordable housing projects containing 739 housing units, said Paul Ruchinskas, manager of the Commission’s housing office.
The Mashpee Wampanoag also received a $641,991 grant from HUD’s Indian Housing Block Grant program to develop the tribe’s first low-income rental housing. The grant will fund an architect, permitting consultant, project manager and also the installation of electrical service to the site, according to Alice Lopez, housing manager.
The Aquinnah Wampanoag received a $750,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development program for energy efficiency improvements. The grant, supplemented by tribal funds, will be used to install Energy Star appliances, fans and programmable thermostats in the tribe’s low-income and elderly housing units, and to provide reliable backup power for the housing units, office and water and waste water treatment plants, said Jane Greene, housing manager.
The Aquinnah also received $632,819 from the HUD Indian Housing Block Grant program ($447,038) and a supplemental block grant provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ($185,781). The tribe will use the funds to repair 28 housing units.
HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program awarded $352,830 to the Town of Barnstable and $139,422 to the Town of Yarmouth for housing rehabilitation and ongoing economic development projects.
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