Gloucester County recently announced Community Development Block Grant Program funding that will go to nine of its municipalities.
The county board of commissioners authorized 12 municipal agreements for public facilities to be completed with the funds. The nine municipalities that received funds include Clayton, Deptford, Glassboro, Swedesboro, Washington Township and West Deptford and Woodbury. Some municipalities received multiple municipal agreements for additional projects, such as Pitman and Woodbury Heights.
Commissioner Director Frank DiMarco said the funds, which come through the Department of Economic Development, are crucial to municipalities that want or need to rebuild and update parts of their town that could otherwise be overlooked or unaddressed over the years.
“Our Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program supports our local municipality development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities,” said DiMarco. “Gloucester County has received federal grant funds under the CDBG program since 1984.”
The commissioner added that CDBG grants can pay for revitalization, expansion of affordable housing and improvement of facilities and services that can benefit low- and moderate- income residents, among other uses. County municipalities have received about $1.3 million in CDBG funds since last September.
The latest municipal agreements allow for Clayton, Deptford, Pitman, Washington Township and West Deptford to update road conditions with the funds, while Pitman, Swedesboro and Woodbury Heights received funds earmarked to address accessibility issues. Woodbury Heights’ funds will pay for updating the municipality’s storm-sewer system, including inlets and piping.
DiMarco said previous and future funding has and can be used for a wide range of potential upgrades in a municipality, including crime prevention and public safety, education programs and fair-housing counseling.
“Without the funding provided by the CDBG program,” he added, “these projects may not be possible.”
According to the county, additional funds are anticipated from the New Jersey Department of Housing and Urban Development near the end of this month and in the next round of fund allocations.
