Haverhill Receives Extra $600,000 in Federal Community Development Block Grant Stimulus Money

Mayor James J Fiorentini pictured with Lori Trahan and her supporters. (WHAV News file photograph)

Haverhill is receiving more than $600,000 in additional federal stimulus money to cope with the aftermath of the coronavirus.

The money comes in the form of extra Community Development Block Grant money. The city already receives around $1 million a year as a so-called “entitlement” community. It was grandfathered into receiving such aid directly—rather than being first funneled through state government—since the program replaced urban renewal. Besides Haverhill, Congresswoman Lori Trahan, said other communities in her House district to receive extra money are Lawrence, Lowell and Fitchburg.

“While we face this unprecedented health emergency, families, workers and our most vulnerable populations need immediate help from Congress to weather this storm,” Trahan said.

The money may be used to pay for expansion of community health facilities, child care centers, food banks, senior services and more.

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini said, “In addition to increasing our CDBG funds from around $1 million to around $1.6 million overnight, it also lifts the cap on what we can give to charities that work with the poor. This is a massive increase that is going to allow us to do more for those agencies and organizations that really need it right now. This means more help and resources for our homeless, our hungry, our jobless and especially our families and children.”

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