Summary of the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan

The Consolidated Plan 2025-2029 is a strategic blueprint that addresses Manchester's community development and housing priorities for the next five years. Developed in compliance with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements (24 CFR, Part 91) the plan focuses on improving the quality of life for low and moderate income residents by implementing projects that create affordable housing, enhance public services, improving local infrastructure, and promoting economic opportunities.  Upon HUD acceptance, the plan will inform the City's spending decisions for the multi-fiscal year period between July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2029.

Key Objectives:

• Increase affordable housing units to address the growing demand among low income households.
• Provide emergency shelters and transitional housing for homeless individuals and families.
• Expand public infrastructure, including transportation routes and accessibility enhancements.
• Offer job training programs and workforce development opportunities.

Connection to Annual Action Plan

The Five-Year Consolidated Plan does not exist as a standalone document. It serves as a useful guide to develop the City’s Annual Action Plan (AAP) during every fiscal year. AAPs are updated annually and submitted every spring directly to HUD, including specific projects (such as operating a homeless shelter or renovating a playground) aligning with the strategies and priorities chosen during the creation of the Consolidated Plan. The City’s annual allocation of federal entitlement funds from HUD subsequently supports chosen project goals, as identified by an AAP. 

Statistics:

• In 2020-2024, 49% of Manchester households earned below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
• Over $47 million was allocated through CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds to address community needs.

Major Projects:

• Development of 200 affordable housing units.
• Rehabilitation of community centers and public spaces.
• Creation of new public transportation routes to underserved areas.

2020-2024 ConPlan Goals & Outcomes:

For the 2020-2025 consolidated planning period, both the City and its Subrecipients worked hard to meet the sixteen (16) Goal Outcomes outlined in the associated Annual Action Plans, as identified below.

The City intends to use these existing goals/outcomes as inspiration for develoing an updated set of goals/outcomes, as identified during upcoming community and stakeholder engagement sessions. 

1. To Address Homelessness Issues, the City worked with its 5 partners to provide: Tenant Based Rental Assistance and Rapid Rehousing services to 263 households; Overnight shelter to 3,969 individuals; transitional housing to 43 individuals and Homelessness Prevention Services to 732 individuals.
2. The City operated an ongoing Lead Hazard Control Demonstration Program and worked with its partners to meet the objectives associated with Increasing the Number of Affordable Housing Units. The renovation/development: of 495 Granite Street (4 units); 434 Union Street (11 units); 247 Pearl Street (10 beds); 286 Hanover Street (3 units); 140-142 Central Street (12 units); RENEW II Redevelopment (25 units); and Kelley Falls Development (48 units) were completed resulting in affordable housing for low income families/individuals.  Several projects were completed resulting in the elimination of lead hazards and/or housing code violations in 4 owner occupied units and 182 rental units.
3. To Assimilate Refugees Into the Community, the City collaborated with the Holy Cross Family Learning Center, Spark the Dream and ORIS resulting in services being provided to 585 individuals.
4. To Decrease the Number of Abused/Neglected Children, the City worked with 3 agencies resulting in services being provided to 1,311 families with children.
5. To Increase the Manchester High School Graduation Rate services were provided to 7,608 youth (10 agencies, 6 CBDO Organizations).
6. To Increase Access/Availability to Affordable Childcare, affordable child care was provided to 279 low/moderate income families.
7. As a result of agreements with 2 organizations, services were provided to 1,685 senior citizens To Perpetuate the Independent Living of the Elderly.
8. To Prepare Individuals for Gainful Employment, the City Collaborated with 3 non-profits (1 CBDO) to provide job training to 2,296 individuals. 
9. To Increase Recreation Programming for Low/Moderate Income, the City’s Parks Dept. provided summer recreation programming to 936 youth and operational support for City pools serving income eligible Census Tracts.
10. Year Round Access to Recreational Facilities was increased as a result of upgrades to: Hunt Pool Site; Shaheen-Basquil Park; Rock Rimmon Park; Derryfield Park; playgrounds (2); and playing fields. 
11. To achieve the outcomes associated with Community Supportive Living Environments housing code enforcement inspections were conducted in 13,675 housing units, 2 buildings that posed a threat to public health and Safety were demolished and activities in the center city positively impacted 60,824 individuals. 
12. Approximately 3,105 individuals benefited as a result of services provided to Support Health Care Activities for Underinsured (1  Organization).
13. Programming To Decrease the Number of Deaths Caused By Substance Abuse was provided to 193 individuals.
14. To Support the City’s Infrastructure System, traffic signalization and municipal infrastructure improvements were completed in 6 income eligible residential neighborhoods.   
15. To Create a Universally Accessible City, pedestrian ramps were constructed in identified areas of the City in order to address accessibility issues on City sidewalks and walkways.
16. Activities conducted by the City’s Planning and Community Development Office in conjunction with the Facilitate Efficient Planning Public Management impacted Manchester’s population (115,462) as a whole.