NH Delegation Announces More Than $5.8 Million in CARES Act Funding to Help Address Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Granite Staters

(Washington, DC)  - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced that New Hampshire will receive $5,826,951 in federal grants established under the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law to help address the economic impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable Granite Staters. Specifically, the funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) and can be used to expand community health facilities, child care centers, food banks and senior services, as well as support eviction prevention, rental deposit assistance and homelessness prevention programs.

“Vulnerable Granite Staters are taking a tremendous toll from the continuing fallout of this pandemic. Many, including working families, seniors and people with disabilities, face significant challenges in meeting their essential needs like putting food on the table and paying their mortgage or rent,” said Senator Shaheen. “This funding will be put to use towards food, health care, housing assistance and other vital services. While I am pleased that these federal grants have been awarded, so much more must be done in order to protect those most at risk in our society. Congress must provide additional relief to vulnerable Americans, and I will do everything in my power to ensure this relief is included in any potential COVID-19 relief package.”

“This critical federal funding will help communities in New Hampshire respond to a wide variety of needs among particularly vulnerable populations who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Senator Hassan said. “However, while this funding will help expand services at places like community health centers, child care centers, and food banks, we know that more funding is needed in order to address the full scope of this public health and economic crisis. I will continue pushing for an additional, comprehensive COVID-19 relief package to get much-needed aid to Granite Staters and all Americans.”  

“The COVID-19 pandemic knows no bounds, but it has been especially hard on vulnerable Granite Staters,” said Representative Kuster. “This funding will help to ensure that New Hampshire seniors, those with pre-existing health conditions, and low-income families have enough food to eat, a roof over their heads, safe and reliable care for their children, and access to quality health care. While I’m pleased this funding has been awarded, Congress must provide additional assistance to support the American people during this unprecedented time. I’ll continue working to ensure Granite Staters have access to the resources they need as we weather the COVID-19 crisis.”

“As the COVID-10 pandemic continues to exacerbate the existing affordable housing shortage in New Hampshire, this CARES Act funding could not have come at a more critical time,” said Representative Pappas. “These grants will assist Granite Staters who have seen their livelihoods and housing jeopardized through no fault of their own. We must continue to work in a constructive way to provide the additional relief that our families and communities need to weather this storm.”

Breakdown of CDBG grants

New Hampshire communities will receive a total of $5,826,951 through the CDBG program. The following is a breakdown of the recipients of these grants.

The New Hampshire delegation has worked to protect Granite Staters left vulnerable by the public health and economic emergency. Last month, the delegation announced more than $39.5 million in funding from HUD, including $19.3 million through the CDBG program to help support affordable housing, health care and social services in communities throughout New Hampshire. This funding comes in addition to $11.7 million that was awarded in April to assist New Hampshire’s vulnerable homeless population and to address other local needs during the pandemic, as well as $3.6 million in CARES Act funds the delegation announced in May to support affordable housing for those impacted by the pandemic. In response to a letter sent to HUD by Shaheen, the department released guidance earlier this month allowing nearly $10.4 million provided by the CARES Act to NH for emergency housing assistance to be used to support shelters and prevent vulnerable Granite Staters from becoming homeless amid COVID-19. In addition, Shaheen and Hassan are cosponsors of the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020, legislation that would establish an Emergency Rental Assistance program to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families and individuals pay their rent and remain housed during and after the COVID-19 crisis.