[MassHistPres] surveys and CDBG

[BWILSON at ci.somerville.ma.us]

Hi All,

just a quick response to say that the City of Somerville has been using a
portion of its CDBG allocation for many years, especially the last five, to
fund a variety of historic preservation projects, including historic
structure reports, rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic
surveying, and preservation staffing, all under the direction of the
Historic Preservation Commission.  The big caveat is that in recent years
this source of funding is only available to areas or projects that can be
shown to clearly benefit low- and moderate-income people, through economic
development, job creation, additional housing units, or by meeting other
CDBG goals and objectives.  This is an increasingly difficult test to meet
for communities where land values, housing prices, and income levels are on
the upswing.  Typically we use CDBG funds as a match for other grants that
are less income-restricted.

J. Brandon Wilson

Executive Director
Historic Preservation Commission

City Hall - 2nd Floor
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143
(617)625-6600, ext. 2500
bwilson at ci.somerville.ma.us
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Jill Fisher [mailto:jillfisher47 at hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 10:57 AM
To: mdstarkey at crocker.com; masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] surveys and CDBG


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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