As anticipated, Lewiston and Auburn have received less money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the coming year to help with local projects.

Jim Andrews, Lewiston’s economic and community development director, said his city received $1,060,961 in community development block grants for fiscal 2007, roughly 10 percent less than last year. He said the budget had already been built around the lesser figure. Money will be spent on affordable housing projects, work in the Heritage Initiative area and given to social service agencies, he said.

In Auburn, Reine Mynahan, community development administrator, said her city had $642,950 in CDBG funds, also about 10 percent less than this year. Auburn also saw a slight decline in its HOME funds, to $576,700. That money goes toward home-buying and tenant assistance, among other things.

Of the drop in CDBG funds, “that one hurts a little more,” she said. How that money is spent is more flexible, making it more in demand nationally.

Neither Andrews nor Mynahan could point to a project that would not be tackled because of the lesser amounts.

– Kathryn Skelton