Livingston Receives Grant for Park Improvements

Livingston is among 16 Essex County municipalities to receive Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), according to a press release released Tuesday by Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr.

Livingston will receive a grant of $48,980 for the construction of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant improvements to parks and facilities. The grant may be used to construct ramps to public buildings and upgrade sidewalks, the release said.

Livingston will also receive a $7,900 non-profit community organization grant for the ARC of Essex County in the township to pay for a disabilities maintenance coordinator and a $9,875 grant for the National Council of Jewish Women for an economic empowerment program, DiVincenzo said in the release.

A total of $4.4 million was distributed Tuesday through the CDBG program, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Essex County Division of Housing and Community Development.

“Programs supported through the CDBG programs are direct investments to provide services that enhance our quality of life and help stabilize our neighborhoods by modernizing our infrastructure,” DiVincenzo said in the release.

“These federal grants enable us to upgrade our sidewalks and roads, enhance handicap access, address mental health needs, support food pantries and stimulate economic development in our downtown commercial areas,” he added.