Awards nearly $500,000 in Community Planning Grant funding to support sustainable development
BEDFORD, N.H. – March 14, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Walkable and vibrant village centers, communities with a diverse housing supply, and protection of critical resources are now a more attainable reality for 21 New Hampshire communities thanks to funding through the Community Planning Grant (CPG) Program. New Hampshire Housing recently awarded nearly $500,000 in Community Planning Grant awards to cities and towns across the state so they can improve their land use regulations and achieve community development goals. The overall goal of the CPG Program, which was founded by New Hampshire Housing in collaboration with a consortium of public agencies and state-wide institutions, is to help municipalities reform their regulations to promote development that will have a lasting positive impact while also helping them conserve important resources.
Municipal projects to be funded include the creation of a master plan for pedestrian and bicycle routes and regulations to implement it; zoning changes to promote workforce housing; amending regulations to balance land development with the preservation of natural resources; and creating village centers that offer a mix of both residential and commercial properties. Projects were selected on a competitive basis from among 26 applications seeking nearly $600,000 in total funding.
Grant awardees are: Alton, Amherst, Bedford, Bow, Claremont, Concord, Deerfield, Dover, Farmington, Greenfield, Lancaster, Lebanon, Litchfield, Milford, Northfield, Pelham, Rindge, Salisbury, Sanbornton, Seabrook, and Springfield.
“The towns and cities selected as our grant recipients have innovative ideas about how to create vibrant communities that will grow and succeed,” said Dean Christon, Executive Director, New Hampshire Housing. “We’re proud to be able to support their visions through the CPG Program.”
Funding for the CPG Program is provided through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). New Hampshire Housing was one of 27 state and local agencies to be awarded a share of $28 million in FY2011 grants through HUD’s Community Challenge Grant program, which aims to reform and reduce barriers to achieving affordable and economically vital communities. This is the second round of grant funding awarded by New Hampshire Housing’s CPG program. For more information about the program, please visit the NH Citizen Planner Collaborative at www.nhcitizenplanner.org.
About New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority: New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority is a self-supporting public benefit corporation. The Authority operates a number of rental and homeownership programs designed to assist low- and moderate-income persons with obtaining affordable housing. Since its inception, New Hampshire Housing has helped nearly 40,000 families purchase their own homes and has been instrumental in financing the creation of more than 14,500 multi-family housing units. More information about its programs can be found on the agency’s website at www.nhhfa.org or www.GoNewHampshireHousing.com.
Contact
Jane Law
Phone: (603) 310-9255
