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Gardner City submits $850,000 CDBG application for FY2025; allocates social-service awards
Summary
City staff told the Community Development Block Grant steering committee that Gardner City submitted an $850,000 FY2025 CDBG application that would fund downtown infrastructure and social-service programs; the state review and environmental checks remain next steps.
Gardner City submitted a Fiscal Year 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application last week requesting $850,000 in CDBG funds, city staff said Friday at a public hearing in the Manka Annex at Gardner City Hall.
The application bundles several infrastructure proposals and social-service awards. The proposed infrastructure projects include Downtown Phase 5 construction and design, design work for a School Street School parking lot with an accessible walking path to Jackson Park and the skate park, and installation of a fire/electrical system at the Waterford Street Community Center. Social-service allocations in the submission cover domestic-violence prevention, food assistance, veterans outreach, student athletic fee relief and emergency housing services.
City staff said the CDBG request totals $850,000; with other non‑CDBG funds identified by applicants, the combined total cited in the application materials is $890,000. The application was submitted to the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) for review. "This is my first time submitting this. I know it takes some time," the staff member said, describing the submission and the expected state review timeline.
Why it matters: CDBG awards fund a mix of capital and social-service activities for communities that meet federal Low- and Moderate-Income (LMI) thresholds. If Gardner’s application is approved and funds are released, the projects and service providers named would be eligible to receive grant payments and begin program work.
Details of selected projects and awards listed by staff at the public hearing: - Downtown Phase 5: sidewalk and infrastructure work on Willow Street and Rum Square and a small section of Main Street in front of the former road-building site. - School Street School: design for a parking lot with an accessible walking path to Jackson Park and the skate park (design funding requested). - Waterford Street Community Center: installation of fire and electrical systems (project described as infrastructure work). - Voices of Truth (domestic-violence prevention): general operating/support funds for program activities (amount not specified in the public explanation). - Gardner Community Action Committee (food pantry): funding to create a community-outreach position; staff said a $50,000 salary will be covered by a $30,000 CDBG award and a separate $20,000 match from partner sources. - Gardner Athletic Program user‑fee program: CDBG funds to cover school athletic user fees so students do not pay; staff said the program covers all Gardner Public School sports except hockey (the staff described current user fees as typically $100 per sport, with hockey at $500). - Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center: staff listed a total request of $30,000 to support food-bank and outreach work (breakdown 20,000/10,000 cited during discussion). - Gardner Emergency Housing Mission: funds to support rental assistance and related services for families experiencing homelessness (amount not specified in the public explanation).
Staff described next steps: EOHLC will review the application for consistency with the CDBG national objectives and issue a list of any "special conditions" the city must meet before funds are released. Projects with estimated CDBG costs above $250,000 will need an environmental review under CDBG/HUD rules; staff said the downtown phase project could trigger that review and that the city will coordinate with the Massachusetts Historical Commission as required.
Staff committed to providing more detail on partner match funding and the specific breakdown of non‑CDBG sources at a subsequent meeting. The application remains subject to the state review process and any conditions the EOHLC identifies.
