CDBG

PUBLIC NOTICE

TOWN OF MANCHESTER

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM

Notice of Public Hearing on the Proposed Annual Action Plan for Program Year 17

(October 1, 2007 – September 30, 2008)

Each year the Town of Manchester receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). CDBG funds can support a broad range of community projects and activities, provided such projects and activities meet one or more of the following national objectives: (i) benefit low and moderate-income persons, or (ii) aid in the prevention and elimination of slum or blight; or (iii) meet other community development needs of a particular urgency and for which other funding sources are not available.

The Town of Manchester will enter its 17th CDBG program year on October 1, 2007 with an entitlement allocation of $672,203. Together with expected program income and reallocated funds from prior year(s), total funds available for the program year is $707,303. The town has developed a proposed list of projects and activities (see below) to be funded during the upcoming program year as the proposed 2007-2008 Annual Action Plan and the public is invited to comment on this proposed spending plan. A copy of the proposed spending plan is available for inspection/comment at the Planning Department, Room 204, Lincoln Center, at the Citizen Service Center located on the 1st. floor of Town Hall, at the Mary Cheney and Whiton Branch libraries, and online at www.ci.manchester.ct.us. The Town will accept written and/or oral comments on the proposed plan at any time up to and including the public hearing scheduled herein.

Housing Rehabilitation            $300,000
Commercial Façade                  $100,000
Down-payment Assistance       $ 40,000
Wireless Access Pilot               $ 29,848
Certified Nurses Aide                $ 30,100
Spruce St. Trash Containers    $    3,095
Genesis Center             $ 23,000
Youth Services                       $ 42,360
Tax & Financial Counseling       $   5,738
Planning & Capacity Bldg.    $ 20,000
Administration            $113,162

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2007 @ 7:00 P.M
LINCOLN CENTER HEARING ROOM
494 MAIN STREET, MANCHESTER, CT 06040

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PROPOSED ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

OCTOBER 1, 2007 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

In accordance with the requirements of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, the Town proposes to fund the following projects and activities with approximately $707,303.00 from:

$672,203.00 Entitlement Grant
$ 32,650.00 in Reprogrammed Funds
$ 2,450.00 in Anticipated Program Income

HOUSING REHABILITATION:

$300,000 – To continue to operate a financial assistance program to reduce lead based paint hazards, correct property maintenance code deficiencies/violations and eliminate architectural barriers in selected housing in targeted neighborhoods. The program is also designed to assist housing located in certain “priority” areas where the Town has concurrent or planned public investment activities.

COMMERCIAL FAÇADE:

$100,000 - To provide financial assistance on a matching basis for commercial property façade improvements in the Spruce Street and Town Center neighborhoods.

DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE:

$40,000 - To provide mortgage down-payment financial assistance for low and moderate-income first time homebuyers in Manchester’s housing programs eligible areas.

WIRELESS COMPUTER ACCESS:

$29,848 - To fund a pilot program to promote wireless Internet access for low and moderate-income residents in the Nathan Hale and Washington School neighborhoods.

SPRUCE STREET TRASH RECEPTACLES:

$3,095 - To fund the purchase and location of five replacement waste containers to improve the streetscape along Spruce Street.

CERTIFIED NURSES AIDE TRAINING PROGRAM:

$30,100 - To continue funding a nurse’s aide training and job search and retention skills program for low and moderate-income Manchester residents. The program is operated in conjunction with Manchester Community College.

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING:

$23,000 – To continue funding expanded services for guests at the Samaritan Shelter. Program to be conducted at the Shelter by staff from the Genesis Center.

COMMUNITY BASED YOUTH SERVICES LEARNING CENTER:

$42,360 –To continue funding a program of educational workshops and community participation activities for at risk middle school age youth and their parents from the East Side and West Side to be managed by the Parks & Recreation Department and the Youth Services Bureau.

TAX AND FINANCIAL COUNSELING:

$5,738 – To fund a new service coordinated by the Manchester Human Services Administration to provide counseling on the Earned Income Tax Credit and financial literacy among low and moderate-income residents.

PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING ($20,000):

Manchester Initiative for Supportive Housing ($10,000) – To engage a consultant to develop an effective organizational plan involving partnerships with appropriate local agencies and to develop an action plan for supportive housing in Manchester.

Case Mountain ($5,000) – To engage a qualified historic preservation consultant to prepare a nomination of a Case Mountain area to the National Register of Historic Places.

Neighborhood Outreach ($5,000) – To implement a new outreach initiative among residents of the town’s four older residential neighborhoods to improve community participation and communication among residents.

ADMINISTRATION:

$113,162 - To fund staff positions and operating costs necessary for the administration of the program.

PROGRAM YEAR TOTAL - $707,303.00

These projects and activities are proposed after having reviewed and considered suggestions received at neighborhood meetings on housing and community development needs on February 7, 2007 (Nathan Hale School), February 20, 2007 (Lincoln Center), February 28, 2007 (Robertson School) and March 7, 2007 (combined Washington & Verplanck Schools), and from applications/requests submitted directly to the Manchester Planning Department from local agencies.