ORANGE — Last time, it was conflict mediation services, home-delivered meals for seniors, an adult literacy program, farming workshops and therapy for recovering addicts that the town chose to target for federal community development money.
On Wednesday at 6:45 p.m., Orange is holding a public information session in the Selectboard’s meeting room in Town Hall about the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to solicit ideas about what the town should fund this time around.
Representatives from the Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority will explain the application process, hear proposals and feedback, answer questions and discuss potential activities, according to a notice from the town.
The CDBG program originates with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which apportions money to states to use toward community development projects. In Massachusetts, the CDBG funds are allocated to communities by the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
Eligible activities that may receive CDBG money include housing assistance, public facilities and infrastructure projects, planning projects and social services. The projects must satisfy the national goal, and purpose of the program, of benefiting low- and moderate-income people or eliminating urban blight and slums.
Town officials working with the Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority will ultimately decide where to allocate CDBG money. Grants are typically awarded in July or August.
During the last fiscal year’s CDBG round, Orange was awarded $550,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance to eight units, as well as fund several social services.
The following programs each received $20,000: Quabbin Mediation, which specializes in conflict resolution and mediating conflicts involving at least 75 people; LifePath, which delivers nutritional, hot meals to local seniors; The Literacy Project, which trains adults to take the High School Equivalency Test; Seeds of Solidarity, which runs a farm share and food pantry program; and CHD, which provides therapy to people recovering from addiction as well as their family members.
However, Orange has not always received CDBG funds. In 2017, the town did not score high enough on the scoring system the state Department of Housing and Economic Development uses to identify communities’ needs.
Reach David McLellan at dmclellan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268.