Federal Earmarks Bring New Funds For Housing, Emergency Shelter And Sewer System

by John McNamara

New Britain is the beneficiary of specially appropriated federal funds to address needs for the unhoused, affordable housing development and a deteriorating storm water and sewer system under the recently adopted Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024.

Funded with $2,134,752 are three projects for two nonprofit agencies and municipal government submitted by U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-5) and the state’s congressional delegation under Community Project Funding (CPF). Also known as “earmarks” the new appropriations provide federal money outside of annual categorical or block grants that communities receive annually. They include:

• $959,752 for the Fresh Line Upgrades for Sanitary Health (FLUSH) to renovate City of New Britain sewer infrastructure
• $1,000,000 for a homeless center expansion at the Friendship Service Center.
• $175,000 to Neighborhood Housing Services for acquisitions to build affordable housing.

NB Politicus

New Britain is receiving the largest share of funds in the 5th Congressional District.

U.S. Rep. Hayes said 12 towns in her congressional district will receive $9 million. “This appropriations process was very different than previous cycles,” said Rep, Hayes about the delayed budget for the fiscal year that ends September 30. “I advocated tirelessly for these projects with an unclear path forward. With passage by both houses of Congress, and now signed into law by President Biden, I look forward to working alongside local leaders through completion of these projects and seeing their impact in our community. The projects submitted by my office will address new units of affordable housing, housing infrastructure, water pollution, food insecurity, pedestrian safety improvement and emergency communications across urban, suburban and rural communities all across the 5th District.” The neighboring city of Meriden, for example, gets $1 million for a new senior center and Waterbury $850,000 for sidewalk improvements.

According to The Connecticut Mirror (March 25, Lisa Hagen) Connecticut is receiving $174 million in earmarks. “Based on requests made by Connecticut’s congressional delegation, a total of 180 local projects across dozens of towns and cities will receive federal funding related to infrastructure, transportation, education and social services.”

“Earmarks for special projects requested by members of Congress were traditionally part of the federal budget making process in reaching compromises,” according to a February 2023 New Britain Progressive story on the earmark process. “Lawmakers would leverage their votes and seek one-shot appropriations for projects and programs in their states as part of approving all federal appropriations. In 2011, Congress ended the practice over reports of abuses and conflicts of interest. In 2021, however, the Congress restored earmarks renaming them “Congressionally Directed Spending” with limitations and by adding transparency requirements and other safeguards to the process of “bringing home the bacon.”

Local governments and eligible organizations and agencies now submit their special requests for funding to the Congressional delegation for inclusion in the federal budget for the following year with March deadlines.

John McNamara is a New Britain Ward 4 Alderman and Common Council Majority Leader