PRESS RELEASE
WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Congressman Brian Higgins and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced completion of improvements to three roads in the Town of West Seneca, marking the latest in a comprehensive infrastructure effort supporting repaving work on 18 streets in West Seneca over the last 8 years with the support of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding.
“Community Development Block Grants give municipalities the flexibility to prioritize investments that are important to local neighborhoods,” said Congressman Higgins. “This program continues to be at risk under the current Administration despite the great success it has been in our community and others across the country. Erie County and the Town of West Seneca are to be commended for their teamwork and leadership, completing multiple projects that pave the way for economic growth and add to the quality of life for residents.”
County Executive Poloncarz said, “The value of Community Development Block Grant funds has been demonstrated repeatedly in Erie County, with many municipalities using them to upgrade their business districts, revitalize their community spaces, and perform needed infrastructure improvements such as here in West Seneca. CDBG funding pairs with locally-provided funds to have a far greater impact than municipalities could provide on their own, meaning that more projects can get done and more communities can provide a better quality of life for residents. Despite the obvious success of these federal funds over the years, their future in Washington is uncertain and I will work with Congressman Higgins to do whatever is necessary to keep CDBG funding in place.”
West Seneca streets completed in 2018 include: Benson, Dirkson, Wichita Roads. In addition to infrastructure work, federal Block Grant funding supported projects in West Seneca Town Hall and Senior Center which include work to improve accessibility for residents, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Since 2010, over $1 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding has been invested in the Town of West Seneca. A full breakdown is available below:
In 2018 Erie County received $3,036,359 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, authorized through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support local community development needs, such as construction of affordable housing, infrastructure investment, and job creation.
HUD funding, directed to Erie County, is distributed to 34 municipalities within the county which have formed a consortium, combining efforts to apply for these federal resources.
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