HOME ARP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

Westfield -The Office of Community Development will be accepting HOME ARP applications until Thursday, October 12, 2023. A Technical Assistance workshop will take place via Zoom on September 20, 2023, from 11am to 12pm to answer your questions about the HOME ARP program and the Request for Proposals (RFP). 

Please email michaela.grady@cityofwestfield.org to register for the Zoom.

HOME ARP applications are now available at the Office of Community Development and Planning, City Hall, 3rd floor, during normal business hours or by visiting the Community Development Department website at https://www.cityofwestfield.org/701/Community-Development-Block-Grant-CDBG. Eligible activity categories include housing development and supportive services.

HOME ARP is funding under the federal American Recovery Plan to address the need for homeless assistance, Supportive Services, and the development of Affordable Housing. ARP defines qualifying individuals  or  families  as  those  that  are  (1)  homeless,  as  defined  in  Section103(a)  of  the  McKinney-Vento  Homeless  Assistance  Act,  as amended  (42  U.S.C.  11302(a))  ("McKinney  Vento");  (2)  at  risk  of  homelessness,  as defined in section 401 of McKinney-Vento; (3) fleeing, or attempting to flee domestic violence,  dating  violence,  sexual  assault,  stalking,  or  human  trafficking;  (4)  part  of other populations where providing supportive services or assistance would prevent a family's homelessness or would serve those with the greatest risk of housing instability; or  (5)  veterans  and  families  that  include  a  veteran  family  member  that  meet  the criteria in one of (1)-(4) above.

A copy of the City's HOME ARP plan can be found at

https://www.cityofwestfield.org/DocumentCenter/View/13727/Holyoke-Chicopee-Westfield-

Consortium-HOME-ARP-Allocation-Plan--HUD-Approved-Version

The Office of Community Development will also accept proposals from qualified applicants to undertake affordable housing activities under the 2023 HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program on a rolling basis throughout the year. The HOME Program was established by the federal government through the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990. The goals of the HOME Program are to increase the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing, including housing for the physically challenged, to promote the development of public/private partnerships, empower not-for-profit housing organizations and leverage HOME funds with non-federal funds or resources.

HOME ARP applications are due by Thursday, October 12, 2023, at 12:00 pm. HOME applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the program year.

Federal Fiscal Year 2024 funding will be for activities undertaken from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.  The City of Westfield anticipates a HOME ARP allocation of $502,712, with $77,631 allocated to supportive services and $410,000 to housing development, and a HOME allocation of approximately $120,000. The City has approximately $500,00 in HOME funds from the current year and prior years available for allocation to new projects.