The Town of Hudson and the Marlborough Community Development Authority plan to submit a joint grant application in February 2013 to fund a Commercial Rehabilitation Improvement Program in both communities. The grant will seek funds to provide financial assistance through grants to merchants and commercial property owners for sign & exterior façade improvements.
TARGET AREAS: You are receiving this letter because your property/business may fall within one of our two geographic areas that have been approved by the Mass. Department of Housing & Community Development to participate in this program. Hudson’s certified blight target areas include the Downtown Target Area and the Washington Street Target Area. Property owners just outside the Downtown Target Area are also being solicited. If we are able to amend the Downtown Target Area boundaries this spring, your property would then become eligible for the Facade Program.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: No Interest (0%) Loansare available to existing commercial property owners and business tenants. The loan is amortized over a 10-year period and converts automatically to a forgivable loan (grant) after 10 years if the building remains under the same ownership. For projects with a total cost of less than $10,000 the loan/grant will represent up to 75% of the total project construction costs with the rest to be matched by the participating property owner/business owner. If the total project costs are $10,000 or greater, the loan/grant will provide 50% of the construction costs.
Assistance with the development of detailed construction plans, specifications, cost estimates, bidding and construction oversight for your project will be provided at no additional cost. An architect will be hired by the two towns to provide these services.
ARE YOU INTERESTED? Would you be interested in applying for the Façade Program? What type of project might you be considering? Attached is a simple form on which you can indicate the size and type of project you might want to pursue. By submitting this interest-survey, you are under no obligation to participate in any subsequent program, should we be awarded funding. It merely helps us to gauge the community’s level of demand for such a program. In addition, any type of support letter for the Façade Program in general would be appreciated. The more demand for the Façade Program that we can demonstrate, the higher our grant application will score!!!
Your input is extremely valuable in helping us to determine whether or not to pursue additional state funding. The information will also help us validate the need for such a program. Should we be successful and grant funds are awarded to the Town, more information on the Façade Program will be sent to you.
To fill out this survey online or download a sample support letter, please visit the Town’s website Look for the “Sign & Façade Program” link on the main page.