The Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority (VIHFA) has announced a second round of orientation sessions for 2020 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applicants on Monday, Feb. 10, on St. Thomas, and Wednesday, Feb. 12 on St. Croix. Both meetings will be held at 4 p.m. in the VIHFA training rooms located at 3202 Demarara Plaza, Suite 200, Frenchtown, St. Thomas, and 100 Lagoon Complex, Suite 4, Frederiksted, St. Croix.
The Community Development Block Grant is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) formula-allocation grant, which focuses on the development of viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities.
Each funded project must meet at least one of the three national objectives: prevention of slums/blight, address an urgent need, or be a provision of employment or other benefits primarily to low/moderate-income persons.
Eligible applicants include non-profit and faith-based organizations, government agencies and for-profit entities (economic development activities only). The Community Development Block Grant is particularly interested in receiving proposals for programs providing mental health services, homeless services, before and after school care programs, and summer programs with an emphasis on academic enhancement for youth ages 4-16. Applicants may also submit proposals for projects/programs other than those listed above.
Applicants are required to attend one of the scheduled sessions in their respective island district. The application deadline is 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28.
The first orientation sessions were held on Jan. 28 on St. Croix and Jan. 30 on St. Thomas.
For more information, call Jennifer Jones, associate planner II, at 777-4432 in St. Thomas-St. John District or Tamisha I. Thomas, CDBG program manager/Jasheda Reyes, associate planner I, at 772-4432 in St. Croix District.
