Community Development & Housing Program Manager Bonnie Galant presented the plan to the City Council's Community and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday night.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city's 2016 Community Development Block Grant funding is eyed to fund numerous projects for low- and moderate-income areas of the city.

 

Through the federal program, the city will receive a $1,139,628 allocation, which is $27,325 less than last year. The money, coupled with funds saved from previous years. The federal program is solely focused on the low- and moderate-income areas, in which three census tracts qualify in the heart of the city. 

 

"We're really looking to bring economic opportunities to the city," said Doug Clark, the city's director of community development. "There are neighborhoods that really need this assistance. It really is a hand up and not a hand out.

 

The sidewalk repairs are eyed for the Morningside and Westside areas and combines $100,000 in carryover from previous years and $75,000 of this year's allocation. The project will likely reconstruct 2,500 feet of sidewalk and 24 curb cuts. The total budget is approved at $261,275, including $86,275 for project delivery costs.

 

"The larger the bid, the best price we get," said Community Development & Housing Program Manager Bonnie Galant, when asked about saving previous year's money.

 

CDBG funds are also eyed to round out the funding package to create a park along the Housatonic River and Dewey Avenue. That project is predicted to help some 448 low- to moderate-income persons. The park will span the city-owned parcels on the west side of Dewey Avenue between Bradford Street and Prospect Street. The entire project is expected to cost about $1.5 million in all, comprised of a $1 million state grant, $257,854 in city capital funds, $204,287 in a federal brownfields grant through the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and $30,000 from CDBG funds. An allocation of $4,000 will go to BRPC for assistance in the planning for soil remediation work along Dewey Avenue.

 

The city is also planning to use $25,000 of this year's allocation to help cover the "soft costs" of a $13.6 million renovation of Riverview Homes by Beacon Communities. That project is coupling $650,000 in low-income housing tax credits, with a $2.7 million loan through the state, and a $6.2 million mortgage to make the rehabilitation possible.

 

Three properties are expected to be demolished in fiscal year 2016 through the funding — those being 79 Third St., 193 Dewey Ave., and the former caretakers house at Burbank Park on Lakeway Drive. The buildings are vacant and are on the list of about 10 properties eyed for demolition. The total budget for those demolitions is $129,344 from multiple years CDBG allocations. An additional $8,246 is eyed to board up one building and clean another property. 

 

The mayor's small business loan fund is contributing $60,000 to a $296,834 allocation for a program through the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp. to administer loans to new businesses. It is expected two businesses will be assisted this year by that program. 

 

PERC will also run a "micro-enterprises" grant program with $58,828 in CDBG funds and $30,000 funds from the Mass Growth Capital Corp. Another $100,000 will be allocated to help businesses make handicapped accessibility improvements. For all of PERC's administrative involvement and insurances, $8,500 is being allocated to offset those costs.

 

A grant program with $296,081 will be available to help homeowners citywide make improvements to their homes. There is an existing loan fund that is expected to provide $90,000 of that total in revenue. This program is expected to help rehabilitate 20 owner-occupied housing units through low-interest loans, deferred payment loans, and grants. A similar program for rental units will see a $100,000 allocation. 

 

Both owners of rental units and homes are eligible for the $25,000 allocation to help install handicapped ramps. Another $7,500 is available for certain fees to rehab homes and rental units and $6,500 is available to relocate households while a building is being deleaded.

 

A total of $186,544 will be combined with $122,500 in city money for the city's Human Services Advisory Council to assist agencies working to help low-income households by providing housing for the homeless and transitional housing.

 

Both the Westside and the Morningside neighborhood cleanups will be supported with $2,700 CDBG funds each.  

 

The CDBG program also has a total of $224,561 in debt service for previous projects. They include the extension of the water line to Route 44 to help Interprint and renovations to the Central Block a number of years ago. That expense is from payments from grants, the city's enterprise fund, and loan guarantee programs. 

To operate the program, the city is chipping in 5 percent more than last year because of the cuts to the program. The city is now allocating $91,793 to the administration of it while the CDBG funds will fund the majority of $158,711.