FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Christie Administration Announces Award Of $5.9 Million In Community Development Block Grants

Funding Will Benefit Community Improvements in Small Cities throughout New Jersey



Trenton, NJThe Christie Administration today announced the award of $5,912,955 million in Small Cities Block Grants (CDBG) to municipalities in New Jersey. The 22 grants will benefit 19 municipalities in 8 counties, and 1 county-wide program which will benefit approximately 25,000 people across the state, including senior citizens and people with disabilities. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) receives, distributes, and administers the grants funds for the State of New Jersey.


Awards in this year’s grant round will go towards funding projects ranging from rehabilitating affordable housing, including homes that were damaged by Hurricane Sandy, to making access ramps at beaches and parks ADA compliant to street and water/sewer reconstruction.


"It is essential that we take action to develop these viable communities by improving their housing situations, their overall quality of life, and their economic opportunities," stated DCA Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III. "This funding will lead to lasting improvements for the residents of these communities and help to address local community development needs. It is the best way for us to give maximum benefits to some of our most vulnerable citizens." 


The DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources administers the Small Cities Community Development Block Grants, which are used for housing rehabilitation, development of public facilities, and improvements to public infrastructure. The grants are designated to benefit people of low and moderate-income or to address recent local needs for which no other source of funding is available. Funding for the Small Cities CDBG Program is provided by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  


The municipalities receiving Small Cities grants design their own projects and funding priorities. These locally developed projects are required to meet at least one of the three federal National Objectives including: 1) activities that benefit low and moderate income persons, 2) aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or 3) meet urgent community development needs because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community where other financial resources are not available to meet such needs. 


A description of the grant recipients and projects are listed below. For more information on Small Cities Community Development Block Grants, log on to http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/cdbg.html .


Small Cities Grant Recipients and projects include:

Grantee Name

Legislative District

Project Title

Project Description

Award

Amount

Dennis Township

1

Senior Center, Rec Center, DPW Bldg & Municipal Bldg ADA

To remove architectural barriers that hinder accessibility of handicapped persons at the Senior Center, Recreation Center, Public Works Building and Municipal Complex.  This award will bring Dennis Township public buildings into compliance with ADA

$ 400,000

Dover Town

25

Small Cities CDBG 2015

For the rehabilitation of approximately 10 homes of low-and moderate-income families.

$ 150,000

Downe Township    

1

Township-Wide Housing Rehabilitation

To provide deferred loan home rehabilitation assistance to low and moderate income residents.  This award will provide funds to an estimated 12 families throughout the Township

$ 100,000

Fairfield Township 

2

Fairfield Township Home Rehabilitation

To provide deferred loan home rehabilitation assistance to persons of low and moderate income.  This award will provide funds to an estimated 12 owner-occupied households throughout Fairfield Township

$ 125,000

Gloucester City

5

Hudson Street Water & Sewer Replacement Project

This award will provide funds to replace the water and sewer mains on Hudson Street, between Sussex and North Burlington Streets.

$ 400,000

Lower Township

1

Recreation Center ADA Compliance Improvements Phase II

To remove barriers that hinder access by mobility impaired persons.  This award will provide funds to enable the  Township to complete ADA compliance efforts at its existing Recreation Center in the Villas.

$ 238,495

North Wildwood City

1

ADA Improvements along JFK and Beach Access -multiple points

This award will be used to provide ADA infrastructure improvements to curbs and access points along JFK Boulevard and for beach access at various points.  All Improvements will remove barriers for people with mobility issues to access public areas.

$ 400,000

Oldmans

Township

3

Kay Garden Neighborhood Storm Drainage Project

To replace 6 undersized and deteriorated storm drainage systems within the Kay Gardens neighborhood including catch basins and storm pipes.

$ 358,011.91

Pemberton Borough

8

2015 Sewer Line Repair Project

For additional repairs to existing municipal sewer lines on West Hampton St./CR 530 in Pemberton Borough.  This project will complete sewer line repairs begun under the Small Cities' 2013 grant for Hanover Street repairs.

$ 206,452.10

Pemberton Township      

8

2015 Small Cities Housing Rehabilitation Application

To rehabilitate up to 8 single- family, low- moderate income owner-occupied homes in Pemberton Township.

$ 125,000

Penns Grove Borough

3

Mill Street Storm-water Management Improvements

This award will provide funds for storm water management improvements at Mill Street pump station area.  Improvements will include the installation of a gas powered emergency generator.

$ 394,997

Salem City

3

Salem City Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program

To fund the rehabilitation of 10 low/moderate income owner-occupied homes within the City of Salem.

$ 150,000

Stone Harbor Borough

1

Recreation Complex and Beachfront Access ADA Compliance

To remove architectural barriers that hinder accessibility of handicapped persons at the Recreation Complex, at various intersections and along the Borough's beachfront.  This award will provide funds to aid the Borough comply with ADA.

$ 220,000

Sussex County

24

SCARC Community Center Rooftop Solar Project

This award will provide funds to design, procure and install a rooftop solar array, energy efficiency improvements and building improvements at the SCARC Community Center Building located at 4 Camre Drive, Newton, NJ 07860.

$ 400,000

Upper Deerfield Township

3

Upper Deerfield Township Housing Rehabilitation Program

To rehabilitate up to 14 single-family, low and moderate income owner-occupied homes in Upper Deerfield Township. This award will provide deferred/forgivable loans to allow income qualified households to repair their homes.

$ 150,000

Upper Deerfield Township  

3

Seabrook CDP Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation - SCADA System

To rehabilitate 70 year terra cotta sewer mains serving the Seabrook CDP that exhibit excessive infiltration and inflow and install a DEP required SCADA system.  This award will provide funds to slip line the sewer conveyance mains and install SCADA.

$ 400,000

West Cape May Borough 

1

West Cape May Borough-wide, Owner-Occupied Housing Rehab

To improve the condition of affordable housing by rehabilitating nine single-family, owner-occupied homes through the use of interest-free, deferred loans to low- and moderate-income eligible homeowners within the Borough.

$ 125,000

Wildwood City

1

Wildwood Cedar Avenue - Boardwalk Pedestrian Improvements

To reconstruct the ramps to the Wildwood Boardwalk at Cedar Avenue to bring them into compliance with ADA standards and provide the initial phase of connecting the Boardwalk with the Pacific Avenue Commercial / Entertainment District.

$ 400,000

Wildwood Crest Borough  

1

Street & Utility Reconstruction of Buttercup Road

To replace storm drainage facilities on Buttercup Road from Park Boulevard to New Jersey Avenue to alleviate flooding in Wildwood Crest Borough.  This award will benefit Block Group #1 of the Borough.

$220,000

Woodbine Borough

1

Woodbine Fire Station Renovation Project

To reconstruct the roof structures on both the 1903 and 1950s section of the Fire Station and to complete interior and exterior renovations to areas deteriorated as a result of roof leakage.

$ 400,000

Woodstown Borough

3

Woodstown-Pilesgrove Joint Housing Rehabilitation

To rehabilitate an estimated 22 housing units occupied by low- and moderate-income households in Woodstown Borough and Pilesgrove Township.  This award will provide deferred/forgivable loans to allow income qualified residents to make home repairs.

$ 150,000

Woodstown Borough

3

Woodstown-Alloway Road Water Main Replacement

To replace an undersized, deteriorated asbestos-cement water main on Woodstown-Alloway Road.  This award will improve domestic water pressure and fire protection.

$ 400,000

22 Approved Applications           Total:

$5,912,955


 

The DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources is committed to building neighborhoods and to providing financial and technical assistance to municipalities, community action agencies and other nonprofit organizations for community and economic development projects that improve the quality of life for low-income, disabled and disadvantaged residents.

 

For more information, visit http://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dhcr/. 

 

 CONTACT:
Tammori Petty
Emike Omogbai
(609) 292-6055