AMHERST — Programs offered by local social service agencies, such as the Amherst Survival Center’s food pantry, along with construction of sidewalks on Belchertown Road and infrastructure improvements associated with future affordable housing on South East Street, are being supported with Community Development Block Grant money this year.

With Amherst continuing to receive a mini-entitlement community designation from the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, and eligible to receive $925,000 for programs and projects benefiting low- and moderate-income individuals in 2024, the CDBG Advisory Committee is holding a Dec. 12 hearing to get input on what priorities should be pursued. The virtual hearing takes place at 7 p.m.

Senior Planner Nathaniel Malloy told the CDBG Advisory Committee at a recent meeting that the hearing is needed to update the current community development strategy, a three-page document that mimics the chapters of the town’s master plan, including a focus on housing and historic and cultural resources. That strategy could be changed after the hearing, such as possibly tweaking a target area for use of the CDBG money.

But Malloy said the document is up to date, revised less than a year ago.

“The strategy could be updated after the meeting if we hear things that we might change, but I don’t expect it will be changing much year to year,” Malloy said.

Setting the priorities comes in advance of the application process, where social service agencies will compete for money, and decisions will be made on how to support housing and public infrastructure.

Of the money available, $185,000, or 20%, can go to social services, with a maximum of five entities receiving funding. A maximum of 15%, or $138,750, will go toward administration, with the remainder, $601,250, or 65%, for up to three projects.

A request for proposals will be issued Dec. 15 and posted on the CDBG’s website and sent via email to agencies and town department heads. Funding applications are then due to Malloy Jan. 16, with the committee to review and vote on in late winter, with a second public hearing in February.

This year, in addition to the sidewalk construction and replacement along Belchertown Road from Colonial Village to Stanley Street, and improvements near the East Street Common, Valley Community Development created a microenterprise loan program to support small businesses that started Dec. 1.

Beyond the Survival Center’s food pantry, the social-service agencies awarded money were Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Amherst public schools for its Family Center Partnership, a mentoring program for children; Center for New Americans, for its Fostering Immigrant Self-Sufficiency program that offers free English classes, instruction in civics, technology and career preparation to attain economic self-sufficiency; Craig’s Doors: A Home Association Inc. to expand access to housing and case management; and Family Outreach of Amherst, for its Community Housing Support Program, which assists low-income tenants in Amherst to resolve any issues that threaten their tenancy.

The link for the Zoom meeting is https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/82851013048

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.