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Strafford County authorizes $500,000 CDBG‑CV application to support two homeless shelters
Summary
The Strafford County Board of Commissioners authorized submission of a CDBG‑CV application seeking up to $500,000 to support the Home for Now Shelter (Rochester) and the Will and Moring Center (Somersworth), adopted related anti‑displacement plans, and instructed staff to finalize application materials before the Dec. 1 deadline.
The Strafford County Board of Commissioners voted Nov. 20 to authorize submission of a Community Development Block Grant–Coronavirus (CDBG‑CV) application seeking up to $500,000 to support operations at two shelters that serve people experiencing homelessness.
The resolution, moved and seconded during the meeting, also authorized the county administrator to sign the application and related documents and adopted location‑specific residential anti‑displacement and relocation assistance plans for the two shelters. Chair George McGuire said the application is consistent with the county’s 2025 housing and community development plan and that no displacement is anticipated.
Blair Haney, principal planner with the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, said the application must be submitted by Dec. 1 and asked the commission to provide draft minutes quickly so the narrative and supporting documents can be compiled. "The grant application is due December 1," Haney said. "I’ll be working furiously with Betsy [Andrews] to get some of the narrative together and submit it."
A member of the public asked whether the grant covers only services; staff confirmed the request is for public services and noted the award is competitive. Chair McGuire outlined the county’s proposed distribution: roughly $250,000 to the Home for Now Shelter in Rochester and $250,000 to the Will and Moring Center in Somersworth, and said the cities of Dover and Rochester had each contributed $75,000 to shelter operations that would not be billed back if the grant is awarded.
Betsy Andrews, participating by Zoom, said she and Strafford Regional Planning will finish application materials and share information on forthcoming federal and state funding opportunities. "We will work with Diane and finish everything up and get in," Andrews said. Haney confirmed she needs a copy of the draft minutes for project records and the application packet.
The commission closed the public hearing, moved to adopt the resolution and anti‑displacement plans, and recorded the action as approved by unanimous voice vote. The application deadline and the need to submit draft minutes and supporting documents were the principal immediate next steps.
