Housing nonprofits receive grants

Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Nashua was the top recipient of an annual federal grant to help alleviate the lack of affordable housing and promote economic development in Nashua.

The nonprofit received a total of about $487,000 in financial assistance, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and city records.

The award came from the annual Community Development Block Grant and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which is designed to produce affordable housing for low-income families.

The housing program received the grants largely for its operation of the Campaign for Home Ownership and its development of family housing at the closed St. Casimir Church on Temple Street.

The Casimir Place project is estimated to cost $5.6 million to develop the former Catholic church and a new three-story building at 119 Temple St. into 28 apartments.

The government gave the nonprofit $359,000 to open the apartments as affordable rental housing for lower-income households.

Also receiving grants were agencies in Dover, Portsmouth and Rochester.