GREAT BARRINGTON — With two-thirds of Berkshire County’s housing built before 1970, 10 towns are receiving a combined $4.5 million to help homeowners make costly repairs and prevent units from falling off the market.
The funding, provided through the federal Community Development Block Grant, will primarily support home repair programs in the county, with the exception of North Adams, where it will fund road and senior center improvements.
The grants are part of the commonwealth’s commitment to making housing production easier, according to Kim Driscoll, lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, who was on hand for the announcement last week at Housatonic Community Center.
“We are way behind on the amount of housing we need,” Driscoll said.
Great Barrington, Egremont and Stockbridge received a joint award of $1.25 million, and Lenox and Sandisfield received $1.05 million.
New Marlborough, Otis and Mount Washington jointly received $1.25 million, and Hinsdale and Florida received $950,000. The grant money received must be used in the respective towns.
Tara White, co-chair of the New Marlborough Select Board, said the program provides critical, costly repairs that homeowners couldn’t afford on their own.