Emergency Shelter CDBG-CV Grant

At a glance

• What: A $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (COVID) award from the NH Community Development Finance Authority for emergency shelter operations, split between the City's shelters and Families in Transition. The City held a required fourth public hearing on August 4, 2026.
• Where it stands: The money covered operations from December 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 and is paid by reimbursement. The City received its share; about $12,000 more is still coming to the City and Families in Transition's reimbursements are still arriving.
• Next: None; no new request.

Special meeting, August 4, 2026 (6:00 to 6:09 PM)

• Mayor Ruais said the City applied after a vote on October 21, 2025, three public hearings were held then, the grant paid for the City's share of winter warming operations (a consultant was a grant requirement), this is the fourth hearing, an update required by the grant, and no new money is being requested.
• Lane read the program summary: small city CDBG categories are not available to Manchester; a one time $1 million COVID round was reopened and Manchester asked for the $500,000 maximum. Shelters supported by the City (39 Beech Street Shelter and Engagement Center and the Aged and Infirm Shelter at 200 Elm) got half; Families in Transition got half for the Adult Emergency Shelter at 199 Manchester Street and the family shelter at 177 Lake Avenue. The City serves about 349 people a year; Families in Transition more than 800.
• Bouchard said prevention and early intervention should come before emergency spending, asked what outcomes the system produces and what it costs, and asked at what point "one city has carried enough." Bouchard did not object to recovering federal funds already spent.
• The testimony was taken under advisement and the meeting adjourned on motion of Barry, seconded by Terrio. Thomas was absent.
• At the regular meeting that evening Kantor noted the grant summary calls the shelters City operated; Mayor Ruais said that language should change because the shelters are run by contractors.

Sources

• Board of Mayor and Aldermen minutes, August 4, 2026: https://manchesternh.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=5246,plainText=false)
• Special Board of Mayor and Aldermen public hearing (CDBG-CV funding) minutes, August 4, 2026: https://manchesternh.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=5245,plainText=false)

Log

2026-08-04 - Board of Mayor and Aldermen Special Meeting

Required (fourth) public hearing on the $500,000 CDBG-CV grant for shelter operations; one speaker; taken under advisement.