NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR DRAFT FIVE-YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN 2025-2029, ANNUAL ACTION PLAN 2025-26, AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN

The City of Peabody, in cooperation with the North Shore HOME Consortium, an organization comprised of thirty cities and towns in the Merrimack Valley and the North Shore, is holding meetings and seeking public comment on their draft Five-year Consolidated Plan for HUD program years 2025-2029, Annual Action Plan for Program Year 2025-26, and draft Citizen Participation Plan before submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The purpose of these meetings is to receive feedback on these documents from interested parties regarding 1.) The use of HOME funds for the development of affordable housing in the North Shore HOME Consortium region 2.) The use of CDBG funds to assist low and moderate-income persons in the City of Peabody over the next five years and specific projects for the coming year. The Consortium’s communities include: Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Georgetown, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newburyport, North Andover, North Reading, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury and Wilmington. The activities proposed with HOME funds include: Creating New Affordable Rental Housing Units; Rehabilitating Existing Homeownership Housing Stock; Creating Affordable Homeownership Housing Units; and Providing Tenant-based Rental Assistance to Target Populations. Proposed CDBG projects in Peabody for the next five years include Social Service, Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, the Creation of Affordable Units, Homeownership Rehabilitation, Economic Development and Urgent Need Activities. CDBG projects for the coming year include the funding of Social Service Activities, Economic Development, Homeownership Rehabilitation, and Infrastructure Improvements.

An electronic copy of the Annual Action plan, and Citizen Participation Plan will be available on April 14th, 2025 at www.peabody-ma.gov. The public comment period will begin on April 14th, and will end on May 14th, 2025. During this time, three Public Hearings will be held to invite comments on the draft documents:

• Wednesday April 16th at 11:00 am
  Newburyport Public Library, 94 State Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
• Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 11:00 am
  At the Haverhill Public Library Milhendler Room, 99 Main Street, Haverhill, MA 01830
• Thursday May 1st 2025 at 5:30 pm
  at Peabody City Hall Lower Level Conference Room, 24 Lowell Street, Peabody MA 01960*

*The Peabody meeting may also be attended virtually via Zoom. To join the Zoom meeting, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85226097463?pwd=fUYywuMnCeOQbl84chkXAqXpHhvDLG.1
Or dial a toll-free number 1-646-558-8656 to join the meeting.
When prompted, enter meeting ID below and follow the instructions to join.
Meeting ID: 852 2609 7463 Passcode: 322453

Accommodations for persons with disabilities and/or with limited English proficiency will be made available upon request to the greatest extent possible. Citizens, all interested parties, representatives from the City of Peabody and from the Consortium’s member communities, and nonprofit providers are urged to attend to provide comment, but written comments are also encouraged and can be sent to: lisa.greene@peabody-ma.gov or stacey.bernson@peabody-ma.gov by May 14th, 2025.