MANSFIELD — The Community Development Office shared good news Tuesday during council’s public affairs committee meeting.
“We did receive an increase in both our CDBG and our HOME fundings for year 2018,” said Sharon May, the department’s director.
Community Development Block Grants may be used for eligible activities that must meet at least one national objective, including assistance to low to moderate income individuals as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development; eliminate slum and blight as defined by HUD; and meet an urgent community development need.
HOME Investment Partnership Program grants are designed to create affordable housing for low-income households.
Mansfield was originally estimated to receive about $770,000 in CDBG funds and about $200,000 in HOME funds. Final numbers show the city was approved to receive $846,464 in CDBG funds and $275,503 in HOME funds.
Compared to last year, the CDBG allocation increased about $68,698 (approximately a nine-percent increase), according to May.
See the funding breakdowns below.
The largest allocation was awarded to citywide rehab at $220,620, which may be used for projects in any of the six wards.
“Some of our long-time public services including NECIC and the Culliver Reading Center will be receiving an increase over last year’s funding,” May said. “That is in addition to funding three new public services this year, and really we can equate a lot of that to the increase in funding that we are receiving.”
As for HOME funding, the city is getting approximately $75,253 more money (close to a 38-percent increase) than last year, May said.
See the funding amounts below.
The city was also awarded a grant from the Richland County Foundation from the Fran and Warren Rupp Donor Advised Fund in the amount of $4,200 to be used for a summer intern within the community development office.
