Spending of $800,000 in Community Development Funds in E.P. Approved

The spending of more than $800,000 in federal funds for East Providence got the final approval of the City Council last week.

The funds are Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) disbursed by the Housing and Urban Development agency through the state to spend between July 1 of this year and June 30 of next year.

The final approval of the funds was delayed a bit because David Bachrach, community development coordinator for the planning department, learned that the city would get an increase from the initial $620,000 anticipated. The extra money caused a need for an additional time period for public comments on the proposed spending plan he revised.

The federal grants will be spent in four areas: economic development, public facilities, public services and affordable housing, Bachrach said.

Among the recipients of the the funds will be a bevy of social service agencies, such as the East Bay Community Action Program, the Boys & Girls Club, East Providence Housing Authority, Weaver Library, and the Bread of Life Pantry operated by four churches out of the Newman Congregational Church. 

United Methodist Elder Care and the the East Providence Fire Department also will get some additional cash. So will the Department of Public Works to reconstruct Grove Avenue.

The Silver Spring and Meadowcrest school playgrounds also will be getting some funds to upgrade the facilities. The new Forbes Solar Field in Riverside that is under construction also got some grant funding.