[MassHistPres] surveys and CDBG

[Jill Fisher]

Hello Marcia & All - Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) are a 
potential resource for a wide range of preservation efforts, including 
bricks & mortar projects if the community is supportive of using the funds 
that way.  It's a big IF...low income housing, economic development projects 
(blight removal in the early days), housing improvements (often mandating 
vinyl siding), etc. have traditionally been how these funds have been used 
across the country. The agencies that represent these constituencies got 
their foot in the CDBG door decades ago & under the Bush admin. these funds 
have been cut (or that's what I've understood without doing in depth 
research on the subject) which means it will be a challenge to obtain a 
portion of a community's allocation.  That doesn't mean it can't or 
shouldn't be done.  Just know that it will take a lot of effort & political 
savvy.


Jill Fisher, AICP
Principal Planner
Larson Fisher Associates, Inc.
Historic Preservation & Planning Services
PO Box 1394
Woodstock, NY  12498
845-679-5054
jillfisher47 at hotmail.com

www.larsonfisher.com





>From: "Marcia  Starkey" <mdstarkey at crocker.com>
>To: "MassHistPres" <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
>Subject: [MassHistPres] surveys and CDBG
>Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 09:35:32 -0500
>
>Hello,
>
>The Winter 2006 VAF Newsletter includes a great article on important but 
>threatened rural settlements in Fayette County KTY. The project seems to 
>provide a model for surveys that include planning components (this one at a 
>higher level than usually possible). The study described used CDBG funds as 
>appropriate to these rural communities.
>
>Many Massachusetts towns have similar areas but there seems to be little 
>understanding or information on how this funding source could be utilized 
>for surveys which will have real effect on land use laws and community 
>goals. Am I correct?
>
>Marcia Starkey, Greenfield HC
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