Community project funds now available

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan and the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation board of directors would like to inform the public of the availability of Community Development Block Grant funds for community development or improvement projects, such as facilities for recreational or multipurpose use and infrastructure, including street improvements, water, power and sewer distribution systems.

NMHC, as the administering agency for CDBG funds, is currently undertaking several projects under this program. They include the construction of the Kagman Community Center, the rehabilitation of the Pinatag Park, Rota and Tinian gyms, construction of the Multipurpose Recreational Facility of the NMC campus and installation of lights at the Tinian Baseball Field.

Under the program, it has also undertaken various community improvement projects, namely the water distribution at the Sugar King Estate Part I Subdivision, infrastructure for the Koblerville Subdivision, basketball court on Rota, street and drainage systems at Puntan Muchot and Garapan Annex II, street improvements at Tinian,
Koblerville and Mihaville Section 8 subdivisions, Dandan and Rota, one-million gallon water reservoirs, Tinian’s San Jose water facility, Puntan Muchot sewer line, Rota Park & Recreational Facility, Koblerville Water and Sewer Distribution Systems, Rota Section 8 Water Storage Tanks, Rota and Saipan Multipurpose Gymnasiums,
Saipan Multipurpose Center, Tinian Children’s Park, Rota Water Tank and rehabilitation of Mihaville Section 8 units.

Projects funded go through a process wherein they are presented during one of the public hearings held on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. Proposals for projects are reviewed and packaged by local committee members of the CDBG Program.

The committee then recommends which projects get funded, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development ultimately selects which proposed projects get the program year’s CDBG allocation.

The award is based on the community priority needs, as funding is limited and the use of the available funds needs to be maximized. Funded projects principally benefit low income to moderate income individuals and families.