By Paul Tuthill
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Springfield, MA – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,Tuesday, announced 13 planning grants, totaling 3 point six million dollars nationwide. Springfield Massachusetts was the only city in the northeast to receive funding. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.
Springfield was awarded a 300 thousand dollar grant to draw up a comprehensive plan to revitalize distressed housing in the South End, one of the city's poorer neighborhoods which was devastated by last year's tornadoes. HUD New England Regional Administrator Barbara Fields said Springfield was selected from among 71 applicants to receive money from a program called Choice Neighborhoods.
The transformation plan will focus on a public housing complex and two HUD-assisted apartment buildings.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said the receipt of the competitive grant shows the city is on the right track in its work to revitalize the South End, which has high rates of poverty and crime.
The neighborhood plan will focus on the Marble Street Apartments, a public housing complex, which was built back in the 1960s, according to Springfield Housing Authority executive director William Abrashkin.
After the plan is drafted in two years, the city can ask HUD for tens of millions of dollars to implement the plan.
The city had poured millions into the South End neighborhood in recent years to rebuild streets, sidewalks , create more open space and reduce housing density. Last June's tornado destroyed or damaged dozens of residential and commercial buildings . A community center and the neighborhood's only high quality early childhood education center were both destroyed.