Town Awarded $360K Community Development Block Grant to Support Saugus Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic - July 21, 2020

Town Awarded $360K Community Development Block Grant to Support Saugus Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

(Saugus, MA) July 21, 2020 – Saugus Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree is pleased to announce that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has awarded the Town of Saugus a grant of up to $360,000 through the Community Development Block Grant COVID-19 opportunity (CDBG-CV) to provide financial assistance to local small businesses that are being negatively impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Town Manager, Board of Selectmen, and Town officials investigated and researched funding opportunities in an effort to provide microenterprise assistance to help address impacts due to these unprecedented times. Officials applied for aid and were awarded up to $360,000, made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (CARES Act) to DHCD by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via amendment to the existing DHCD CDBG FY2019 One Year Action Plan. 

This funding will provide the necessary resources for the Town to provide grants of up to $10,000 per business to qualifying microenterprises (a commercial enterprise that has five or fewer employees in which one or more of whom owns the enterprise) adversely impacted by COVID-19. 

“I am extremely grateful that Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, and the Department of Housing and Community Development awarded the Town of Saugus this grant funding to support our community’s small businesses, many of which that have been devastated during these difficult times,” said Town Manager Crabtree.

“This financial assistance will provide us with the necessary resources to help some of our business community, which has always served as the Town’s partner. The Town is extremely grateful to the business community and the commercial taxpayers (along with the residents and the MSBA) for its substantial contribution in funding for the District-Wide Master Plan Solution which includes the new 6-12 Middle High School and renovations to the current Belmonte and Veterans Memorial Schools.”

The CDBG-CV opportunity supports communities across the Commonwealth in their work to provide vital services to low-income residents and small businesses affected by the recent outbreak.

The Town’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, in conjunction with the Town Manager’s Office, will oversee the implementation of this grant and subsequent distribution of funds to eligible small businesses. 

Eligible small businesses that are interested in applying for assistance should contact the Planning and Economic Development office at 781-231-4045. For more information, contact the Town Manager’s office at 781-231-4111.