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Housing and community development director outlines FY2024 wrap‑up and FY2025 CDBG priorities
Summary
Ben Kares, Chelsea’s Director of Housing and Community Development, briefed the board on FY2024 Community Development Block Grant activities and sought input for the FY2025 application, highlighting social services, a possible housing rehab program, Bloomingdale Street improvements and Volk Park accessibility work.
Ben Kares, director of Housing and Community Development for the city of Chelsea, presented the department’s mid‑year CDBG report and discussed priorities for the FY2025 Community Development Block Grant application.
Kares reviewed ongoing uses of CDBG funds (social services, citizenship and language services, Reach after‑school programming) and said approximately 20% of the allocation is typically reserved for social services. He said the FY2024 award announcement has arrived but the grant contract had not been fully executed at the time of the presentation; staff hope to sign the contract in October and launch activities. "We're excited to share with you what we're going to be working on for our upcoming FY 2025 CDBG application," Kares said.
Planned priorities mentioned included a housing rehabilitation program (staff aim to target a small number of units because rehab is administratively difficult), street and sidewalk projects (Bloomingdale Street called out), accessibility improvements at Volk Park, continued funding for social‑service contracts, and a strategic housing plan to inventory existing units and plan for more family‑sized housing. Kares also summarized capital and resilience work the department oversees, including coordination on an Island & River flood‑barrier project and a $50 million FEMA grant referenced later in the Q&A.
Board members asked about community engagement for the master plan and measures to make Chelsea more livable without a car; Kares said the city will run robust community outreach, coordinate with MBTA service changes and bus lanes, expand bike infrastructure, and pursue regional transit initiatives including the Silver Line extension. He agreed to circulate the presentation after correcting a slide error and to provide follow up materials.
