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The primary responsibility of the Office of Community Development is to secure Federal, State, and other resources to improve the quality of life for Hull residents. The office, each year, applies for Community Development Block Grant Funds that are distributed directly to residents through the housing rehabilitation program (see policy and sample application), social service programs, and through infrastructure projects that increase handicapped accessibility to Town owned properties. Examples of accessibility projects include the A St. handicapped access beach ramp now being completed, sidewalks at C and D Streets and the proposed Senior Center renovation to remove access barriers.
The Office also secures funding for larger projects that are of benefit to the Town as a whole and help the Town achieve its goals as articulated in several Plans including the Community Development Plan, the Harbor Plan, The Open Space and Recreation Plan, the ADA Transition Plan, and the Community Development Strategy. To increase grant opportunities the Office completed and applied for a Commonwealth Capital Score for the Town. “The Commonwealth Capital Policy coordinates state capital spending programs in order to invest in projects that are consistent with Administration policy and the Commonwealth’s Sustainable Development Principles…” The Town must have this Score to be eligible to apply for 14 major grant programs for energy, the environment, housing, economic development,
transportation and public Works. This is the first time the Town has been given a score and it is now eligible for these 14 major grant programs. Currently, the score is being used in support of drainage design for the Atlantic Avenue project.
Last year the Office developed and the Board of Selectmen approved the Community Development Strategy. This strategy includes projects to stimulate economic activity with the goal of providing business and employment opportunities and helps expand the business tax base. This is a two-pronged economic development approach calling for the revitalization of the year round economy and the destination economy. In order to help the year round economy the Office is using CDBG funds to conduct a planning and engineering survey of up to 3 commercial/business areas in Town. The results of the survey will be the first step in securing funding for streetscape improvements, and store façade low interest loans for year round business areas. In addition the Office developed a partnership with the Hull
Chamber of Commerce, the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Plymouth Tourism and Visitors Bureau and received a grant to re-establish the historic seasonal ferry service from Boston to Steamboat Wharf (also called Nantasket Pier) in support of the destination economy. It is hoped this project will also reduce the number of cars coming to Hull and therefore the traffic, pollution, and parking problems they create.
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