BANGOR – The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program has released funding for a $1,020,036 grant to Lewiston and a $624,963 grant to Auburn. In addition to the CDBG funding, Auburn was also awarded a $555,385 HOME grant.

In announcing the grants, 2nd District Rep. Michael Michaud, D-Maine, said in a press release, “These grants are crucial to Maine families and the towns and cities they live in. This funding helps create safe, affordable and thriving communities throughout the state of Maine.”

According to HUD, the CDBG program works to ensure decent affordable housing to provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of businesses. CDBG is an important tool for helping local governments tackle serious challenges facing their communities.

The HOME grant program is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Each year it allocates approximately $2 billion among the states and hundreds of localities nationwide.