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Mount Vernon Lays Out Plan To Spend Federal Funds

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. – Mount Vernon is targeting the Central Business District’s programming and affordable housing units for potential upgrades with money it received from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

A report written by Charlene Indelicato, commissioner of Planning and Community Development, said that Mount Vernon was given $1.7 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) from HUD. CDBG is a program run by the federal government that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of community development needs. Persons or households with an income of 80 percent less than the median income in the area are eligible for this money.

“A minimum 70 percent of Community Development Program funds will principally benefit low and moderate income persons,” the report said. “In addition, the number of families/individuals living in these census tracts is low to moderate income with a large number at or near the poverty rate.”

Indelicato’s report said that the city is planning on spending $647,000 of that money to rehabilitate housing for low and moderate income people. This includes the potential construction of 159 affordable rental units and code enforcement activities at a to be determined location that must be eligible under CDBG guidelines. The report said that an additional $55,419 will be used to develop more low and moderate income housing units as well.

The city also plans to spend $383,000 of the CDBG money for public service programs such as day care, drug abuse counseling, meals to the elderly, youth and scholarship training and job programs. Additionally, the report said that the city will spend $305,129 on administrative and planning costs.

“All activities are designed to benefit low and/or moderate income persons and/or eliminate slums and blight,” the report said. “Therefore the city will implement and continue to fund activities in census tracts which will result in a direct area or low/moderate clientele benefit.”

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