The city’s housing and community development department held its second public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) action plan at city hall last week.
The city is expected to receive about $1.1 million in federal community development block grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for FY27 and small business loan repayments.
During the hearing on April 1, Julie DeMauro, the city’s acting community block grant administrator, reviewed how the funds are used by Revere.
“In the program year of 2025, HUD’s entitlement to the city of Revere was $690,000,” said DeMauro. “Funding for the upcoming cycle, which runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 has not been determined by Congress. However, we anticipate having approximately $1.1 million in funding available to fund projects throughout the city.”
That figure includes the city’s annual entitlement program payment and payments the city receives from its small business loan lending program, as well as previous unspent funds.
“A statutory requirement of the Community Development Block Grant is that at least 70 percent of the funded project benefits are to low- and moderate-income residents,” said DeMauro. “Each project must fall into a block group or census track with at least 51 percent low to moderate income.”
DeMauro said the city’s five-year consolidated plan prioritizes projects selected for their benefit to low- and moderate-income Revere residents.
“We will be focusing on increased economic development opportunities and it will include an estimated $160,000 for business technical assistance and funding to continue our loan program,” DeMauro said. “We will also include $500,000 for the physical development of infrastructure projects for park improvements, Complete Street Program, and green infrastructure improvement that also includes tree plantings and tree canopy stabilization.”
The public services portion of the grant, which is limited to 15 percent of the annual grant allocation – about $137,000 – will be given out to public service proposals that were sent to the city in March.
The draft annual action plan was released on March 24, and copies are available in the community development office, the city clerk’s office, and the public library. The 30 day citizen comment period on the plan began on March 25 and runs through April 24.
“All public comments must be submitted to the Department of Planning and Community Development,” said DeMauro.
The city is expected to receive the entitlement funds in September or October of this year, she said.