Housing & Community Development Division

Mission

The mission of the Newton Housing and Community Development Program is:

• To maintain the City’s economic diversity;
• To improve the physical, social, economic and housing environments for Newton’s low- and moderate-income residents;
• To prevent homelessness and help Newton’s homeless population find housing; and
• To provide access to public and private facilities for people with disabilities.

To accomplish this mission, the City uses funds from three annual grants, totaling approximately $2.3 million, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants are:

• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is designed to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons.
• HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) was created to expand and improve the supply of decent, safe and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income persons.
• Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) is targeted at improving the lives and safety of persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

In addition to these funds, the City and its nonprofit partners pursue other funds as appropriate to achieve the mission of the Housing and Community Development Program.

More information about the types of programs funded with the CDBG, HOME and ESG programs can be found by selecting the various program links above.

The City uses several plans and reports to describe the goals, progress and accomplishments of the Housing and Community Development Program.

• Citizen Participation Plan
• Consolidated Plan 2011-2015
• Annual Action Plan
• Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report

For questions regarding the Newton Housing and Community Development Program, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page, contact the Planning & Development Department at (617) 796-1120, or email Anne Marie Belrose, Community Development Manager, abelrose@newtonma.gov or Trisha Guditz, Housing Programs Manager, tguditz@newtonma.gov. For office locations, hours, and staff, please visit the Housing and Community Development Division staff directory.