To the editor:

I write today in support of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) proposal for Quaker Manor and Quaker Estates heating systems that the new Town Council will consider at their Dec. 9 meeting.

This is the second time the town will have applied for a grant for this purpose. We applied last year but were not selected for funding. This was very disappointing to me as a member of the Portsmouth Housing Authority. I am painfully aware of the quality of life challenges the old, unreliable equipment inflicts on our residents at Quaker Manor and Quaker Estates. It’s imperative we continue to pursue these funding opportunities to help accelerate resolution of this serious problem.

The CDBG Program is a federally funded initiative established in 1974 and administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These funds are allocated annually to every state and play a crucial role in addressing housing needs. They have no local matching requirement and are highly sought after across Rhode Island’s cities and towns. 

Amongst other things, the program allows for the maintenance, repair and improvement of low-income subsidized housing for the elderly and disabled. The residents of Quaker Manor and Quaker Estates meet this threshold requirement, and replacement of our antiquated and unreliable heating systems meets one of the primary objectives of the grant program, designed to give local communities discretion to allocate funds towards investments in housing. 

A vote in support of submitting the proposal does not commit the town to anything. it is very important to understand that submitting a proposal does not bind the town to acceptance of any potential award of federal funds. And if the town’s grant proposal is selected under the CDBG Program, no local investment or onerous oversight processes are required. The town simply has to agree to meet the standard terms and conditions for proper use of federal funds for the proposed project. 

The CDBG program is a great deal for Portsmouth and our residents at Quaker Manor and Quaker Estates. I urge the Town Council to support this application and vote to move to the next step towards resolving an urgent and ongoing problem for our seniors living here. 

Rep. Terri Cortvriend (District 72)

Vice-chair, Portsmouth Housing Authority

Portsmouth