Community Development Block Grant Committee Meets and Reviews Grants and Finances
Listen to the entire meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.
The Gardner Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Steering Committee meeting held on February 24, 2026, focused on finalizing the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) application and reallocating unexpended funds from previous grant years. The committee faced a significant budgetary challenge, initially navigating a $103,000 deficit in its funding plan. Through a combination of project withdrawals, the reclassification of the St. Paul’s community garden expansion, and the strategic phasing of the City Hall Avenue project, the committee successfully balanced the FY26 proposal.
Key strategic shifts were also approved, including an update to the Community Development Strategy to provide greater flexibility in funding infrastructure projects outside of strictly designated urban renewal areas. Additionally, the committee addressed the city’s changing demographic status; following the 2020 Census, Gardner no longer qualifies as a citywide Low to Moderate Income (LMI) community, necessitating a shift toward neighborhood-specific or project-specific justifications for federal funding.
