Section 57A. (a) Any eligible city or town, acting by and through its municipal officers or by and through any agency designated by such municipal officers to act on their behalf, including but not limited to its urban renewal agency, may apply to the department for a grant in a specific amount to fund a specified community development project. Said grants shall be in addition to the assistance otherwise made available under this chapter and to other forms of local, state and federal assistance.
(b) No application for a community development action grant shall be made until a public hearing relating to the proposed community development project has been held after due notice before the appropriate municipal officers of the city or town. The department shall not approve any community development project unless it shall have found that:—
(1) The project area is a decadent, substandard or blighted open area.
(2) The project will be of public benefit, in the public interest and for a public purpose, consistent with the sound needs of the community as a whole, and any benefit to private entities or individuals will be indirect and incidental and not the purpose of the project.
(3) The project area would not by private enterprise alone and without either government subsidy or the exercise of governmental powers be made available for redevelopment.
(4) The amount of the grant to be provided appears to be the minimum amount necessary to make the project feasible.
(5) The project will have a significant impact on the economic condition of the city or town, including the generation or retention of long-term employment.
(6) There exist firm commitments of private or other public resources in amounts sufficient, when added to the amount of the proposed grant, to render the project financially sound.
Within a reasonable time after application of a grant, the department shall give written notice to the applicant of its decision with respect to the application.
(c) The department may promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to effectuate the objectives of this section. In establishing criteria for the purpose of making grants under this section, the department shall include but not be limited to the following:—
(1) the comparative degree of economic distress among applicants;
(2) the comparative degrees of physical deterioration of the areas in question;
(3) demonstrated performance of the eligible entity in housing and community development programs;
(4) impact of the proposed community development project on the special problems of low and moderate income persons and minorities;
(5) the extent of financial participation by other public or private entities;
(6) the extent to which the project represents a special or unique opportunity to meet local priority needs;
(7) the impact of the proposed project on the residents, particularly those of low and moderate income, of the residential neighborhood, and on the neighborhood in which the project is to be located; and
(8) the feasibility of accomplishing the proposed project in a timely fashion within the grant amount available.
(d) The department shall give priority to applications for grants which promise to (1) provide substantial employment or other direct benefit for low-income persons; (2) significantly improve the condition of a low-income neighborhood; (3) provide reinforcement for other housing or other community development-related investments by the commonwealth; or (4) combine the aforementioned characteristics.
Section 57A. (a) Any eligible city or town, acting by and through its municipal officers or by and through any agency designated by such municipal officers to act on their behalf, including but not limited to its urban renewal agency, may apply to the department for a grant in a specific amount to fund a specified community development project. Said grants shall be in addition to the assistance otherwise made available under this chapter and to other forms of local, state and federal assistance.
(b) No application for a community development action grant shall be made until a public hearing relating to the proposed community development project has been held after due notice before the appropriate municipal officers of the city or town. The department shall not approve any community development project unless it shall have found that:—
(1) The project area is a decadent, substandard or blighted open area.
(2) The project will be of public benefit, in the public interest and for a public purpose, consistent with the sound needs of the community as a whole, and any benefit to private entities or individuals will be indirect and incidental and not the purpose of the project.
(3) The project area would not by private enterprise alone and without either government subsidy or the exercise of governmental powers be made available for redevelopment.
(4) The amount of the grant to be provided appears to be the minimum amount necessary to make the project feasible.
(5) The project will have a significant impact on the economic condition of the city or town, including the generation or retention of long-term employment.
(6) There exist firm commitments of private or other public resources in amounts sufficient, when added to the amount of the proposed grant, to render the project financially sound.
Within a reasonable time after application of a grant, the department shall give written notice to the applicant of its decision with respect to the application.
(c) The department may promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to effectuate the objectives of this section. In establishing criteria for the purpose of making grants under this section, the department shall include but not be limited to the following:—
(1) the comparative degree of economic distress among applicants;
(2) the comparative degrees of physical deterioration of the areas in question;
(3) demonstrated performance of the eligible entity in housing and community development programs;
(4) impact of the proposed community development project on the special problems of low and moderate income persons and minorities;
(5) the extent of financial participation by other public or private entities;
(6) the extent to which the project represents a special or unique opportunity to meet local priority needs;
(7) the impact of the proposed project on the residents, particularly those of low and moderate income, of the residential neighborhood, and on the neighborhood in which the project is to be located; and
(8) the feasibility of accomplishing the proposed project in a timely fashion within the grant amount available.
(d) The department shall give priority to applications for grants which promise to (1) provide substantial employment or other direct benefit for low-income persons; (2) significantly improve the condition of a low-income neighborhood; (3) provide reinforcement for other housing or other community development-related investments by the commonwealth; or (4) combine the aforementioned characteristics.
Section 57A. (a) Any eligible city or town, acting by and through its municipal officers or by and through any agency designated by such municipal officers to act on their behalf, including but not limited to its urban renewal agency, may apply to the department for a grant in a specific amount to fund a specified community development project. Said grants shall be in addition to the assistance otherwise made available under this chapter and to other forms of local, state and federal assistance.
(b) No application for a community development action grant shall be made until a public hearing relating to the proposed community development project has been held after due notice before the appropriate municipal officers of the city or town. The department shall not approve any community development project unless it shall have found that:—
(1) The project area is a decadent, substandard or blighted open area.
(2) The project will be of public benefit, in the public interest and for a public purpose, consistent with the sound needs of the community as a whole, and any benefit to private entities or individuals will be indirect and incidental and not the purpose of the project.
(3) The project area would not by private enterprise alone and without either government subsidy or the exercise of governmental powers be made available for redevelopment.
(4) The amount of the grant to be provided appears to be the minimum amount necessary to make the project feasible.
(5) The project will have a significant impact on the economic condition of the city or town, including the generation or retention of long-term employment.
(6) There exist firm commitments of private or other public resources in amounts sufficient, when added to the amount of the proposed grant, to render the project financially sound.
Within a reasonable time after application of a grant, the department shall give written notice to the applicant of its decision with respect to the application.
(c) The department may promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to effectuate the objectives of this section. In establishing criteria for the purpose of making grants under this section, the department shall include but not be limited to the following:—
(1) the comparative degree of economic distress among applicants;
(2) the comparative degrees of physical deterioration of the areas in question;
(3) demonstrated performance of the eligible entity in housing and community development programs;
(4) impact of the proposed community development project on the special problems of low and moderate income persons and minorities;
(5) the extent of financial participation by other public or private entities;
(6) the extent to which the project represents a special or unique opportunity to meet local priority needs;
(7) the impact of the proposed project on the residents, particularly those of low and moderate income, of the residential neighborhood, and on the neighborhood in which the project is to be located; and
(8) the feasibility of accomplishing the proposed project in a timely fashion within the grant amount available.
(d) The department shall give priority to applications for grants which promise to (1) provide substantial employment or other direct benefit for low-income persons; (2) significantly improve the condition of a low-income neighborhood; (3) provide reinforcement for other housing or other community development-related investments by the commonwealth; or (4) combine the aforementioned characteristics.
