Continued infrastructure improvements in the Admiral Street neighborhood in Easthampton, a multiuse path on East Hadley Road in Amherst, and rehabilitation and modernization of affordable housing in South Hadley are among projects in Hampshire County being supported by the state’s federally funded Community Development Block Grant program.
Several local communities were announced Friday among 63 across the state receiving $34 million in grants to support housing and community and economic development projects.
“Community Development Block Grants help municipalities address important local needs including social service programs and infrastructure investments,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement.
For Easthampton, the $551,958 received under the program will go toward the next phase of infrastructure improvements on and near Admiral Street, including replacing streets, sidewalks, catch basins and sewer lines.
In Amherst, $825,000 will be divided between the ongoing work of building a multiuse path on East Hadley Road, a siding project at Watson Farms apartments by the Amherst Housing Authority, and the predevelopment costs for Valley Community Development Corp.’s planned 28 single-room affordable housing project on Northampton Road. It also will provide support for a food pantry, youth mentoring, adult literacy, immigrant services and family stabilization services.
South Hadley is receiving $550,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance to 15 units and for housing authority modernization.
Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Plainfield, Worthington and Peru are sharing $1.23 million for housing rehabilitation for 22 units, planning for a senior center, child care assistance, elder services and support for a food pantry.
Huntington will receive $683,752 for infrastructure improvements to Kennedy Drive. Huntington is also sharing, with Russell and Middlefield, $1.3 million for Pine Hill Road drainage improvements, a building reuse planning project, and for social services to support a food pantry, elder services, adult education and domestic violence prevention.
In southern Franklin County, Shutesbury, with Wendell, will receive $985,000 to provide housing rehabilitation for 18 units.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
