News Flash

The City of Amesbury has allocated $126,216 to a Rental Assistance Program to provide short-term relief to low- and moderate-income individuals and families. Funding for this program is provided by the North Shore HOME Consortium Federal Home Housing Investment Partnerships (HOME) program. As a member of the North Shore HOME Consortium, Amesbury (along with 29 area communities) receives yearly funding, which is allocated by formula.  The City has been allocating HOME funds for a variety of projects since 1997, including housing rehabilitation, first time homebuyers’ programs, and closing costs. Due to the pandemic, many communities, including Amesbury, have a “back-log” of funding to allocate. The City was given until June 30, 2022 to allocate funds from the past three years, so the Amesbury Housing Trust voted to create a Rental Assistance program with our HOME funds from fiscal years 2019, 2020 and 2021.  

Mayor Gove said, “We are hopeful that this important program will offer much-needed relief to Amesbury’s residents, City employees and Amesbury’s students and their families. We are grateful to our partners at the North Shore HOME Consortium and the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council for their guidance and assistance with the management of this program.”

How the program works
This program will be administered by the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council (GLCAC) on behalf of the City of Amesbury and will provide grants to financially assist qualified households. Eligible recipients include residents of Amesbury, employees of the City of Amesbury (regardless of whether they are residents), and families who have children enrolled in the Amesbury Public School system (regardless of where they live). 

To be eligible for funding, applicants must have a household income that is no greater than 60% of the median family income. The City will use current income (i.e., after termination of employment or furlough) to determine if a household qualifies.

How to apply
Applications may be found at https://www.amesburyma.gov/164/Housing-in-Amesbury or may be requested by emailing oced@amesburyma.gov or calling the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council (GLCAC) at 978-620-4993. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and approved by GLCAC with assistance from the Office of Community and Economic Development and the Amesbury Housing Trust, as needed. Applicants will be notified of a decision within two weeks of receipt of their application, and applications will be accepted until all funds allocated for the program have been disbursed. 

About the North Shore HOME Consortium
The Consortium is the recipient of over $2.3 million dollars annually from the Federal Home Housing Investment Partnerships (HOME) program. These funds are allocated by formula to all 30 communities in the region to assist in the development of affordable housing. Larger amounts are made available on a competitive basis through a periodic Request for Proposals. Eligible HOME funded activities include the development of affordable rental housing through the construction of new affordable units and the rehabilitation of existing units, housing rehabilitation activities, and limited, short-term tenant-based rental assistance for very low-income households. In addition, the Consortium is the recipient of approximately $7.4 million dollars in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for the creation of affordable housing. These funds are also coming through the federal HOME Program. For additional information, please visit the North Shore Consortium website at https://www.peabody-ma.gov/home%20consortium.html.

About Greater Lawrence Community Action Council
Under the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson and through the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Inc. originated in 1965 as the Lawrence Community Action Council and in January 1966 the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council (GLCAC) was established as a means of fighting the war on poverty. As stated in the agency by-laws, the primary purpose of the GLCAC, Inc. is to encourage and promote the improvement of community life in Greater Lawrence with special emphasis on, but not limited to, the initiation of programs in education, social services, childcare, health, housing, youth employment and related fields. Since its inception, the GLCAC, Inc. has been a consistent partner in working with local, state and federal governments and private agencies in creating opportunities and providing hope for people living in poverty. Currently the GLCAC, Inc, serves over 35,000 clients in a variety of programs and has an annual operating budget of over $20 million dollars. For additional information, please visit the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council website https://www.glcac.org/.