Notice of Availability 
Substantial Amendment to Annual Action Plans FY18, FY19 and FY20 
(HUD Program Years 2017, 2018 and 2019)

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program

In accordance with 24 CFR 91.05(c)(2) and subpart B of the federal regulations relative to citizen participation for Community Development Programs and applicable waivers made available to those requirements through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the City of Lawrence is making an amendment to its FY18, FY19 and FY20 (HUD Program Years 2017, 2018 and 2019) Annual Action Plans, available to the public through this notice.

The City of Lawrence, MA, is a federal entitlement community that receives annual allocations of HEARTH Act Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City is required to prepare an Annual Action Plan detailing the uses of entitlement funds to meet its affordable housing and community development goals as outlined in its Consolidated Plan. 

The purpose of the substantial amendment is to allocate these three annual entitlement ESG allocations in the amounts of $136,695, $137,175, and $147,883, respectively, totaling $421,753, to supplement the two Emergency Solutions Grant-COVID 19 (ESG-CV 1 & 2) funding allocations received under the CARES Act in 2020, to further support the City of Lawrence in its efforts to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Funds will be used by the City and its sub-recipients to provide and administer homelessness prevention and intervention services and projects through the provision of rapid re-housing and housing stabilization, street outreach, shelter support services and/or homelessness prevention to individuals/families directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to respond to the overwhelming need for emergency rental assistance.  This effort is in alignment with the City’s 2016-2020 Consolidated Plan priority to provide assistance for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless through homelessness prevention; rapid re-housing (rental assistance) and Rental Assistance Services.

Public Comment Period and Process: 

This Annual Action Plans’ amendments are available for a short (minimum of 5-days) public review and comment period from April 26, 2021 to April 30, 2021. Citizens wishing to submit written comments during the public review and comment period may send them via email to Vilma Martinez-Dominguez, Community Development Director, at Email Vilma Martinez-Dominguez.  

 You may also send your comments via mail, postmarked no later than April 30, 2021, by 4:30pm, to the following: 

City of Lawrence
Community Development Department
Attention: Vilma Martínez-Dominguez, Community Development Director|
Office of Planning & Development
12 Methuen Street, 1^st Floor
Lawrence, MA 01840