Haverhill Councilors Seek Additional Federal Aid

Haverhill City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan wants senators and representatives to explain why federal Community Development Block Grant aid to cities is dropping.

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini.

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini.

Haverhill city councilors will continue a push for increased federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding while authorizing the mayor to submit a plan for this year’s reported $875,511 allocation “to support housing rehabilitation, public service projects and local infrastructure.”

The council, by a vote of 8 to 0 Tuesday night, passed a resolution to authorize Mayor James J. Fiorentini to file a required annual amended consolidation plan and related assurances of compliance to implement this year’s CDBG program with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Also, the council voted likewise on a motion by Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan to send a letter to the city’s congressional delegation “asking for their support for increased CDBG money and an explanation as to why the trend keeps going down.”

As WHAV reported Feb. 23, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas announced the city was in line this year to receive the nearly $876,000 CDBG grant. However, according to the federal Government Accounting Office, grant funds have been declining since 2001. Last December, as WHAV also reported, Sullivan led a call for restoration of funding from CDBG money for shelter services, including homeless intervention, to Emmaus. During a council meeting then, Sullivan said he learned the stipend had been “cut substantially,” down to $7,000 last year.

Details of this year’s CDBG spending plan were not included with council agenda materials. Under federal rules, spending of the city’s allocation from HUD is entirely at the discretion of Fiorentini. A Community Affairs Advisory Board makes recommendations to the mayor.

Councilor Michael S. McGonagle was absent.

2 thoughts on “Haverhill Councilors Seek Additional Federal Aid

  1. “Haverhill City Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan wants senators and representatives to explain why federal Community Development Block Grant aid to cities is dropping.” –

    Simple: Compounding math with sellouts, thieves, and liars in CONgress.