TRENTON, NJ—The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has announced the distribution of $6,552,869 in Small Cities Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to various non-entitlement municipalities and counties throughout the state. This funding will support 22 projects across 17 local government entities in eight counties, under the administration of DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources.
The grants, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), are part of the CDBG program which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. These funds aim to assist smaller-sized towns in enhancing public facilities, rehabilitating housing, and upgrading infrastructure to improve the quality of life for residents, particularly those with limited financial means.
This year’s grants will facilitate a range of improvements, including making parks, recreation facilities, and municipal buildings more accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); upgrading sewer systems; expanding public utilities; and rehabilitating housing to address safety hazards such as lead-based paint, thanks in part to an additional $1.4 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP).
The Small Cities CDBG program is designed to aid municipalities and counties that serve populations under 50,000 and do not receive direct HUD funding. These grants support local projects that meet critical community needs and are aligned with one of three federal objectives: benefiting low- and moderate-income individuals, aiding in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or addressing urgent threats to community health and welfare.