Community Development

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM

FY26-FY30 CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND FY26 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN

The City of Dover, NH has adopted the Community Development Block grant (CDBG) FY26-30 Consolidated Plan and FY26 Annual Action Plan.

The CDBG Consolidated Plan serves as a strategic five-year plan for addressing issues such as homelessness, housing, public services, community development needs and expanding economic opportunities. The Annual Action Plan identifies how the City plans to use federal CDBG money during the next fiscal year (FY26) to meet the goals and objectives that were approved as part of the Consolidated Plan.

The Dover City Council held a public hearing and voted to approve the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan on May 28, 2025. The Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan are available for public review and comment. The final day for this comment period will be July 7, 2025 after which time all comments received will be forwarded, along with the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan, to the U.S. Department of HUD for their 45-day review. All persons wishing to comment on the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan should do so in writing to Planning and Community Development Department, Attn. Dave Carpenter, 288 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820 or by email to d.carpenter@dover.nh.gov.

Copies of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan are available in the Dover Planning Office or Dover City Library. You can also view the FY26-FY30 Consolidated Plan and FY26 Action Plan by clicking here.

CDBG Overview

The City of Dover is an entitlement community that receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). CDBG funds may be used to carry out a wide range of community development activities directed toward revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development, and providing improved community facilities and services for lower-income residents.

Eligible Activities:

• The proposed activity or project meets one of the following HUD National Objectives:
  1. benefit low and moderate income persons;
  2. activities that aid in the prevention of slums or blight; or
  3. other community development needs to address a federally declared emergency.
• The proposed activity or project qualifies as an “eligible activity” pursuant to HUD regulations.
• The project or activity directly addresses one or more of the Goals and Objectives that will be adopted as part of the FY21-FY25 Consolidated Plan. See “Goals” below.
• Through the application, the applicant and the proposed project or activity, demonstrates capacity to comply with all HUD and CDBG related requirements
• Public facilities projects, as demonstrated through the application process, have a high likelihood of beginning within the year and being completed within two years.
• Seventy percent (70%) of the clientele for the proposed project or activity will qualify as “presumed benefit” or very low, low or moderate income.
• A minimum of 51% of the clientele for the proposed project or activity will qualify as “presumed benefit” or very low, low or moderate income.

Presumed Benefit Clientele: Abused/neglected children, homeless persons, persons with /HIVAIDS, elderly persons , severely disabled adults, migrant farm workers, battered spouses/domestic violence victims, illiterate adults.

Eligible Expenses: The cost of labor, supplies, and/or materials required for the provision of services to agency clientele.

Tracking of Expenses: Grant recipients must be able to specifically identify and document how the CDBG funds were expended on an eligible activity.

DOVER CONSOLIDATED PLAN GOALS FY2021-25

Goal #1: Access to Services

Goal Description: To provide increased opportunities to residents of the City who require education, health, recreation, shelter, transportation and related human services.

Goal #2: Renter and Homeowner Assistance

Goal Description: Weatherization and energy efficiency, Housing unit rehab, security deposit assistance, Lead based paint hazard.

Goal #3: Public Improvements

Goal Description: Development and improvements related to facilities and housing units utilized by qualifying populations and individuals.

Goal #4: Economic Development

Goal Description: Improvements, and the support of efforts, intended to promote economic development and to enhance economic opportunities for qualifying business, populations and individuals.

Goal #5: Accessibility and Transportation

Goal Description: Access to social services and employment and removal of architectural barriers.

Important Community Development documents can be viewed below:

Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Friday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Dave Carpenter, Community Development Planner
e:d.carpenter@dover.nh.gov

Phone: 603.516.6008
Fax: 603.516.6049

Mission Statement - Community Development Office

Create a viable urban environment through the improvement of housing and employment opportunities for low and moderate income people and through improving and/or expanding public facilities and services.

Major Service Responsibilities for the Community Development Office

- Review loan applications to the Housing & Economic Loan Programs.
- Preparation of all closing documents and payment administration of all approved loans.
- Prepare scope of work, solicit bids, prepare bid analysis/results, contracts and change orders and inspection reports of projects.
- Develop annual CDBG grant application to HUD.
- Solicit Community Development Grant proposals.
- Verify compliance with Federal laws (Davis-Bacon Wage Rates) for all CDBG-funded projects.
- Develop the annual Grantee Performance Report.
- Create Annual Consolidated Plan Performance Report for HUD.
- Monitor 30 to 50 outstanding loans, projects, and subrecipients.  

Dover Economic Loan Program
click here to download brochure

Entrepreneurial spirit in a community reflects the economic health of business and can provide job opportunities to residents. Good business ideas, however, need support from many sources in order to prosper. The Dover Economic Loan Program can provide partial financial assistance needed to ensure the viability of promising business ventures. If you are planning to expand a business, or even to start a new one, this program can help turn your plans into a reality.

Program Goals

• Increased employment opportunities for low and moderate income residents
• Expansion of Dover's business community.
• Improved appearance of commercial/industrial properties

Eligible Applicants

• Sole proprietorships.
• Partnerships
• Corporations
• Expansion of existing businesses
• Start-ups
• Relocations

Allowable Projects

• Acquisitions of land and buildings
• Construction and rehabilitation
• Modernization of processes
• Acquisition of equipment and machinery
• Leasehold improvements
• Job training
• Working capital

Loan Criteria

• Interest: Fixed at time of commitment usually not to exceed 75% of prime
• Loan Amount: Up to$50,000, not to exceed 25% of project costs. Exceptions for substantial benefit
• Term: Flexible, up to 25 years. Tailored to economic life of financed assets
• Collateral: Secured position usually secondary to first lien holder. Local lending considerations will determine form and substance of security requirements.
• Benefit: At least 51% of jobs created or retained must be filled by low or moderate income residents
• Financing Availability: Other financing must not be available for total project