Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) assists Berkshire County municipalities in applying for and administering Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which are awarded on a competitive basis by MA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). CDBG grants are funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through an annual allocation to the Commonwealth, for award by DHCD to municipalities all across the Commonwealth. In many cases, municipalities may have documented need for projects funded by the CDBG program, but not have the administrative capacity to apply and manage the grants.
CDBG grants can be used to provide a variety of social services, rehabilitate homes of low to moderate income persons, acquire property for revitalization activities, build senior centers, install or upgrade municipal public facilities and infrastructure systems, ADA compliance in municipal buildings, conduct planning studies or to support many other activities designed to strengthen communities.
BRPC has assisted municipalities in writing and submitting applications, and by administering, the following CDBG grants:
- Towns of Dalton, Becket, Stockbridge and Sheffield FY2020
- Towns of Sheffield, New Marlborough and Otis FY2019
- Towns of Cheshire and New Marlborough FY2018
- Town of Becket FY2017
- Towns of Sheffield and Great Barrington FY2016
- Town of Great Barrington FY2014
- Town of Great Barrington & Town of Sheffield FY2014 (CDBG Regional Grant)
- Town of Lee FY2011 (CDBG EDF Grant)
- Town of Becket FY2011
- Town of Lee FY2008 (CDBG ARRA Grant)
- Town of Great Barrington FY2008
- Town of Dalton FY2003
In its capacity of CDBG Grant Administrator, BRPC provides the towns with assistance in the financial management of the grant, interface with MA Department of Housing and Community Development staff and Grant Management System (GMS), in facilitating the public involvement requirements of the grant, including public hearings and public information sessions, and in meeting federal and state reporting requirements. BRPC also assists the municipalities with project management of CDBG grant funded activities, including procurement of consultants and contractors, coordination of construction schedules, construction observation, monitoring MA Prevailing Wage and Davis Bacon requirements, and processing of contractor pay requests. For CDBG funded Housing Rehabilitation programs, BRPC facilitates the intake of applications, determines eligibility, assists the homeowner with procurement of contractor services, and monitors the construction project.
For additional information concerning the CDBG program and applications, please see individual project pages.