Framingham’s City Council on June 17 voted to accept the city’s FY2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation and the proposed program list, which includes funding for public services, neighborhood facilities, micro‑enterprise grants and tenant‑based rental assistance.

Allocation and caps: Staff said the FY2026 CDBG allocation is approximately $473,000 (a 4.4% decrease year‑over‑year). Administrative costs are capped at 20% (about $94,000); public services were proposed at about $71,000 and public facilities/economic development at about $308,000. The allocation includes a $100,000 set‑aside to repay a Section 108 loan tied to a prior business relocation project.

Program highlights: Staff summarized funded programs, all of which applied and were awarded in the round presented to the council:
- Public services: adult ESL classes (Framingham Adult ESL; Literacy Unlimited), Circle of Hope (clothing and hygiene support), MAPS (Mass. Alliance for Portuguese Speakers) and other social‑service partners.
- Youth and workforce: Framingham Community Connections summer work program and mentoring programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters expansion.
- Public facilities: Continued exterior work for an advocates’ group home and a kitchen upgrade request for Fire Station 5 (applicants and council discussed whether school kitchen capacity could substantively address the need).
- Economic development: downtown improvements and a micro‑enterprise grant program for very small, low‑to‑moderate‑income businesses.

Council action: Councilor King moved and councilors approved acceptance of the FY2026 CDBG allocation and project list by roll call vote. Councilors asked staff to continue outreach to ensure eligible organizations know how to apply and to consider program timing rules (for example, staff said tenant‑based rental assistance applicants generally have 30 days to find local housing before search parameters expand outside Framingham; councilors requested staff consider longer local search windows given local housing tightness).

Next steps: City staff will execute grant administration procedures, reimburse eligible invoices and continue program outreach; the council noted that several applicants were funded in full in the round presented and discussed program monitoring and reporting.