Amherst receives $825K, Easthampton $800K: Baker administration awards $34 million in grants to 41 Massachusetts communities Updated Mar 02, 2021; The Baker administration’s latest affordable housing grants will fund rehabilitation projects for more than 350 housing units and 17 infrastructure improvement projects, state officials say. The funds will also cover the costs of resources for children, teenagers, domestic violence violence, homeless people and older residents through the $34 million in community development block grants issued to dozens of cities and towns, according to the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. “Despite the challenges of the last year, communities across the commonwealth have been leaders in the work to stop the spread of COVID-19 and support their downtowns and struggling residents,” Secretary Mike Kennealy said in a statement. “Today’s CDBG funding will help municipalities fill budget gaps for social services, but also fund infrastructure improvements.”