Congressman Brian Higgins announced more than $30.3 million in federal funding, allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, for projects and programs in Western New York.
"This federal funding allows localities the flexibility to invest in targeted, community-driven revitalization and job creation initiatives," Higgins said. "These resources, critical for regions like ours, will benefit neighborhoods across Western New York."
Community Development Block Grants support local community development needs, such as construction of affordable housing, infrastructure and neighborhood investment, and job creation.
Examples of projects recently funded by federal CDBG dollars include:
•Buffalo: demo of vacant property, upgrades to community centers, parks, youth programs, streets & sidewalks and the Northland Beltline Corridor project.
•Niagara Falls: Hyde Park improvements, home rehabs, first-time homebuyer program, youth programming
•Amherst: Veteran & domestic-violence victim housing assistance, afterschool programming, sidewalks, weatherization assistance
•Town of Tonawanda: Demo 8 vacant units to make way for future development, a microenterprise loan fund for small business, home rehab on 40 properties
•Cheektowaga: Sidewalks on Cedar, Tudor & Campbell streets, police foot/bicycle patrols, home rehab on 58 properties, rehab/resale of abandoned homes on Stratford, McParlin, Lyman & Woodell
•West Seneca: Repaving of Birchwood, N. Covington, Burch & Grace streets, home rehab on 13 properties
Through Erie County:
•Lackawanna: Center Street reconstruction, home rehab on 19 properties
•City of Tonawanda: Intermodal-hub, Dodge Street sewer, home rehab on nine properties
•Grand Island: Demo of Nike Base building, town master plan, home rehab on three properties
The Emergency Solutions Grants program provides funding to address homelessness.
The HOME program helps to expand the supply of quality, affordable housing to low and very low-income families.
The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program provides housing assistance and related supportive services for projects that benefit low-income individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families.
