Southwest RPC updates Keene council on CDBG projects, brownfields and a $400M state transportation shortfall

Todd Horner, executive director of the Southwest Regional Planning Commission, briefed the Keene City Council on the regional agency’s role and several projects in Keene supported by the Community Development Block Grant program, brownfields funding and transportation planning. "We advise; we don’t regulate," Horner said, describing the commission as a "public nonprofit formed by municipalities for municipalities."

Horner highlighted current and pipeline projects that rely on CDBG and related funding. He said the Roosevelt School retrofit and the adjacent Roosevelt West new build together will create 60 affordable housing units, with Roosevelt East expected to be complete in April 2026 and Roosevelt West in 2027. He said a $500,000 public‑facilities grant helped replace a drinking-water system at the resident‑owned Base Hill cooperative and that the system is now operational. "That new water system is operational," Horner said.

Horner also described a nearly finished $750,000 project for Mnemonic peer support in downtown Keene — work that included HVAC, asbestos removal, accessibility improvements and a new exterior lift — and a $25,000 planning grant to Cedar Crest for HVAC and interior planning work. On brownfields, Horner said a Phase 2 environmental assessment at the former drive‑in at 0 Optical Ave found elevated lead and asbestos in soil but no concerning volatile organic compounds in groundwater; consultants recommended excavation and off‑site disposal with an estimated cleanup cost of about $50,000–$75,000.

On transportation planning, Horner said the state’s 10‑year transportation improvement program faces an approximately $400 million revenue shortfall, which has forced delays and removals elsewhere in the draft plan. He noted, however, that "none of the projects in the city were removed from the plan," only delayed in some cases. Horner said Southwest RPC will draft a write‑up for member municipalities describing the shortfall and potential solutions and urged cities to communicate with the legislature and the Executive Council on regional priorities.

Mayor Khan and several councilors thanked Horner for the overview and invited Southwest RPC staff to return when the city applies for specific grants. Horner said the commission will present more detailed proposals when applications come before the council and shared trail‑map copies produced in partnership with local organizations as a community outreach item.

What happens next: RPC staff said they will return with more detailed application materials when the January CDBG funding round and other proposals are brought forward to the council.