Newberry Eyes Housing, Jobs Grants

BOB BROWN/ Alachua County Today

 City of Newberry staff have presented three grant opportunities for the City Commission to consider ranging from job creation and economic deveopment to assisting low- to moderate- income homeowners in making necessary repairs to their houses.

 

NEWBERRY – The City is seeking grant funding for housing rehabilitation and possibly for economic development.

Newberry City Commissioners conducted the first public hearing Monday to consider applying to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).

City Grant Manager Wendy Kinser brought three grant opportunities to the commission to consider authorizing her to apply for the grants. Her request was approved. Kinser's efforts will be supported by consultant J. Scott Modesitt, AICP, Program Development Director for Summit Professional Services, Inc.

The first item authorizes staff to proceed with a Fiscal Year 2015 supplemental CDBG grant in the Housing Rehabilitation Category, which is “unusual,” said Kinser.

“This grant is being made available because none of the submissions for that grant cycle met the grant criteria for one reason or another,” she said.

Submissions for this grant are due by Aug. 30.

Should the grant be awarded to the City, Kinser expects that a minimum of 10 home owners could benefit.

“The grant funds will be used to bring properties up to code and is intended to benefit low- to moderate-income persons,” she said.

Property owners would have to apply to have their homes rehabilitated if the City obtains this grant. Applications are ranked and grant funds are awarded based on that ranking.

The second item authorizes staff to proceed with a fiscal year 2016 CDBG grant in the Housing, Neighborhood Revitalization or Commercial areas, also known as the Regular Category. The City is not eligible for this grant if it receives funding for the first grant (Housing, Rehabilitation). Submission is due in November.

The third authorizes staff to proceed with a Fiscal Year 2016 CDBG grant in the Economic Development Category, should an eligible project be identified.

“This grant is to help businesses create job opportunities,” said Kinser.

The maximum amount of money the City can request in the Housing and Regular grant categories is $700,000, while the total for the Economic Development grant category is $1.5 million.

Kinser emphasized that the amount of grant funding is based on how many jobs might be created through the grant.

Public hearings will be held before applications are submitted. “The application process includes two public hearings before the commission to ensure that the public has an opportunity to voice opinions on the proposed application,” said Kinser.

The second public hearing, referred to as the Transmittal Hearing, will take place Monday, Aug. 22 and will include what is referred to as an enabling resolution and a draft application for review prior to submission to the State.

#     #     #

Email Cwalker@

alachuatoday.com