Congresswoman Chellie Pingree calls federal grants “essential” during difficult economic times

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today announced $3.6 million in federal grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund community development, and to provide affordable housing and emergency shelter in the City of Portland. The grants include $2.1 million for the Community Development Block Grant program, $1.4 million for the HOME program and $93,000 for the Emergency Shelter Grant program.

“This essential federal funding will be put to work directly in our community,” Pingree said. “This money is going to help provide critical services like housing to those in need and will stimulate the economy and create and save jobs in the Greater Portland area.”

The Community Development Block Grant program is awarded to the city of Portland, which then distributes most of it in grants to local organizations.

CDBG programs supports dozens of Portland’s public service agencies providing housing, homeless, health, substance abuse, child care, youth outreach, and community policing services. Recent recipients of CDGB grants include the Wayside Soup Kitchen, Preble Street Resource Center and the Boys and Girls Club.

CDBG grants also fund neighborhood improvements such as sidewalk and roadway reconstruction, parks, playgrounds, trees, handicap accessibility, and historic preservation in eligible neighborhoods.

The City of Portland is going to hold an informational hearing for organizations that want to apply for CDBG money on October 7th at 6:00 p.m. in Portland City Hall.

The HOME program benefit low and moderate-income Portland residents and city neighborhoods where a majority of the residents earn low and moderate incomes. The grant supports a wide variety of projects and programs including social & neighborhood services, public facilities & infrastructure in eligible neighborhoods and housing rehabilitation & housing development.