Funds Will Support Placemaking and Planning Assistance to Help the People of Municipalities of Barceloneta and Naguabo
Versión en Español aquí
San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nov. 8, 2021 –USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is awarding $3 million in cooperative agreement to help 13 provide placemaking and planning assistance to help improve social, cultural and economic structures for people living in rural communities.
The Department is making the awards under the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC).
“Under the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, USDA is investing in ways to create quality places that will attract people and jobs to our nation’s smallest towns and communities,” Torres Small said. “As we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the economy, the Department is targeting its resources and leveraging partnerships to enhance the quality of life for the people in rural and Tribal communities who need it most. Community and economic development strategies like placemaking are critical to helping the people of rural America build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before.”
USDA is partnering with 13 organizations. These groups will use the funds to help rural communities create plans to enhance capacity for high-speed broadband access, preserve cultural and historic structures, and/or support the development of transportation, housing and recreational spaces for people living in rural areas.
The groups will work directly with people in the communities to develop actionable plans, expand partnerships, identify community needs and build robust and sustainable economies. This assistance will support the communities for up to two years.
The investments will help people in rural and/or Tribal communities in Alabama, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Puerto Rico.
Luis R. García, Acting State Director of USDA Rural Development in Puerto Rico indicated that two municipalities were benefit with these awards, Barceloneta and Naguabo.
For example:
- Foundation for Puerto Rico was awarded $250,000. This investment will be use provide the citizens of Naguabo technical assistance and training to create a plan with actionable strategies to design distinctive public spaces, events and revitalization efforts that will contribute to the community well-being. This project will engage residents, local small business owner, community-based organization, state government agencies and the municipality of Naguabo to develop Route 191 (Destino 191) Placemaking plan. The plan will include community-based assessments of critical infrastructure including water, health and emergency services, power utilities, broadband access and rural ways.
- Center for Habitat Reconstruction Inc. was awarded $171,295. This investment will be used to provide the citizens of Barceloneta support rural communities to identify and map their assets, challenges and opportunities. The center will focus on ways communities and use vacant and abandoned spaces. The center will organize planning activities to create placemaking plans, outline communities wide-goals, strategies and tasks. The center also will help communities’ plans, assets, and prioritize pilot place making project. The assistance will help strengthen and expand partnerships to create and implements the plans. This fund will help the communities to improve the economy, social and cultural vitality through innovation, seed grants and expand assets to broadband in rural areas.
USDA will announce in the coming months additional communities that will receive placemaking assistance. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/rpic.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page. You can follow us in our Tweeter Account @RD_PuertoRico.
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