Governor Kaine Announces More than $4 Million in Community Block Grants for Five Localities
RICHMOND, VA – January 6, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced the award of more than $4,600,000 in community development block grant (CDBG) funding to support housing rehabilitation and downtown revitalization. The grants are being awarded to fund five projects in Virginia, in the Towns of Big Stone Gap, Honaker, South Hill, in the County of York, and in the City of Emporia.
“Community development projectshave long contributed to creatingaffordable and prosperous communities across the Commonwealth,”said Governor Kaine. “These grants will address several important community needs in these localities, including housing, economic revitalization, and safe water.”
Since 1982, the federally-funded CDBG program has been administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and Virginia receives up to $19 million annually for this “small cities” grant program. Currently, 284 localities in Virginia who do not receive CDBG funds directly from the federal government are eligible for VCDBG funding.
“The CDBG program provides critical funding to Virginia communities,” said DHCD Director Bill Shelton. “These funds will be used to rehabilitate 67 homes, update water and sewer services, improve the facades of 49 downtown businesses, help implement new farmers markets and update the infrastructure and the atmosphere of many of our downtowns.”
Details of the grant award projects and amounts are listed below.
|
Project Title |
Locality |
Elected Official |
Funding Sources |
Funds Total |
| Big Stone Gap Downtown Revitalization Project | Big Stone Gap, Town of | Barbara Orndorff, Mayor |
CDBG USDA-RD VDOT Private Local TOTAL |
$700,000 $1,061,079 $501,000 $908,369 $194,123 $3,364,571 |
| Project Description: The town will revitalize the downtown business district and take steps to economically restructure its declining economy. The project includes faзade improvements to 33 buildings; installation of approximately 6,000 square feet of brick sidewalk; improvements to parking; creation of a farmers market; and installation of trash receptacles, benches, planter pots and landscaping. The project will help diversify the Town’s economic base and position it as a focal point of the coalfield region. | ||||
| West Atlantic Street Neighborhood Revitalization | Emporia, City of | Samuel W. Adams, III, Mayor |
CDBG VDOT Weatherization Private Local TOTAL |
$1,400,000 $174,621 $132,900 $371,550 $405,146 $2,484,217 |
| Project Description: The city will revitalize the West Atlantic Street neighborhood near the intersection of I-95 and Route 58. The project includes the rehabilitation of five owner-occupied homes, the rehabilitation of twenty-one tenant-occupied homes, the substantial reconstruction of one owner-occupied home, the acquisition and clearance of eleven dilapidated units, relocation of eleven households, development of four new affordable single-family units, development of a neighborhood park, and infrastructure improvements to curb and gutters, sidewalks, sewer, and streets. The project is expected to benefit a total of 133 residents, 112 of whom (84%) are low-to-moderate income. | ||||
| Honaker Historic Downtown Business District | Honaker, Town of | C.H. Wallace, Mayor |
CDBG VDOT ARC Tobacco Commission VCEDA Private Local TOTAL |
$694,266 $233,757 $300,000 $300,000
$342,290 $90,000 $80,581 $2,040,894 |
| Project Description:The town will economically restructure its downtown business district to focus on heritage and nature tourism, technology, and community based retail. Activities to take place include acquisition of two parcels; demolition of one dilapidated structure; renovation of an old vacant bank building into the Honaker Heritage Center; faзade improvements to at least 16 buildings; and sidewalk, street, and lighting improvements through out the downtown. The project also includes the rehabilitation of eight upper-story apartments occupied by low-to-moderate income families. This project is expected to benefit 13 people, all of whom are of low-to-moderate income. | ||||
| Meadow street Community Improvement Project | South Hill, Town of | Earl O. Horne, Mayor |
CDBG Local TOTAL |
$930,557 $25,735 $956,292 |
| Project Description:The town will reduce substandard housing and infrastructure conditions in the Meadow Street community. The project will include the rehabilitation of eleven owner-occupied homes; the rehabilitation of six renter occupied homes; the demolition and removal of one dilapidated vacant structure; the installation of 800 linear feet of six-inch water line, 500 linear feet of two-inch water line, and 500 linear feet of water service lines; 2,495 linear feet of eight-inch sewer line, and 900 linear feet of four-inch sewer laterals, and the installation of culverts and drainage improvements. The project is expected to benefit 53 persons, 40 of whom (75%) are low-to-moderate income. | ||||
| Barlow Road Housing Preservation Project | York, County of | Walter C. Zaremba |
CDBG Private Local TOTAL |
$912,400 $152,920 $99,380 $1,164,700 |
| Project Description:The Town will address substandard housing conditions in the Barlow Road community. The project includes the rehabilitation of 12 owner-occupied houses and the substantially reconstruction of three owner-occupied homes, including installing suitable water supply systems and wastewater disposal systems for all 15 units. In addition general debris and trash removal will take place in the project area. The project is expected to benefit 26 persons, all of whom are low-to-moderate income. | ||||
CDBG grants are awarded through a competitive process using objective scoring criteria developed in consultation with eligible localities.Approval is based on established threshold for low and moderate income benefit, job creation and investment.Most CDBG projects benefit low and moderate income people and many projects are targeted for the prevention or elimination of slums and blight. For more information about CDBG programs, visit: www.dhcd.virginia.gov.
