(Indianapolis, IN) – The Office of Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs have announced eight communities around the state will receive nearly $1 million in Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Grants and Planning Grants through the federal Community Development Block Grant program.
The Town of Versailles and the Town of St. Paul were awarded $50,000 each in Comprehensive Planning Grants, which are are designed to aid communities in evaluating assets and identifying opportunities to address current needs when it comes to land use, government capacity, public services, placemaking, economic development, housing, transportation, agriculture, plus natural and historic resources.
Planning grant applications being funded this quarter address comprehensive planning efforts, water utilities, downtown revitalization and broadband readiness.
Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation grants are used to empower communities to directly fund homeowners of low-to-moderate income to make needed repairs on their homes, while communities awarded Planning Grants will use the funding to develop plans for long-term planning efforts.
“By directing resources straight to local leaders and hardworking Hoosiers, we’re ensuring taxpayer dollars deliver real results,” Lieutenant Governor Beckwith said. “These grants create safer homes for families, allow research on potentially dangerous situations, and provide strategies to expand and thrive economically. Empowering communities produces private-sector growth and secures an even brighter future for Indiana.”
Communities awarded an Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Grant will establish a program to help fund low- and moderate-income homeowners make repairs on their homes. Eligible repairs include roof repair or replacement, ADA accessibility, heating and cooling replacement, lighting and electrical upgrades, and water heater replacement.
Rush County was awarded a $500,000 Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Grant.
Utility Study Planning Grants provide a summary of potential issues and opportunities across drinking, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. By completing this planning, communities will be able to make decisions regarding their most urgent water needs while understanding how each system works in context with other utility systems.
Utility Study Planning Grants were awarded to the following communities:
- The Town of Farmland – $90,000
- The Town of Kentland – $90,000
- The Town of Walton – $87,284
- The Town of Shelburn – $90,000
Downtown Revitalization Planning Grants aim to provide a comprehensive strategy for revitalizing the downtown area in rural communities by addressing demographic, economic and social aspects, as well as physical and cultural conditions. The plan serves as a roadmap for leveraging current assets, securing funding sources, and building community engagement to revitalize the downtown business district area and promote economic growth.
The Town of Fairmont received a $40,000 Downtown Revitalization Planning Grant.
“Congratulations to these eight communities awarded Community Development Block Grant funding,” OCRA Executive Director Fred Glynn said. “Local leaders are making concerted efforts to improve their communities for the long-term. Whether it’s an Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Grant or one of our Planning Grants, I commend these communities for taking action to improve the local quality of life.”
Funding for OCRA’s CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for the State of Indiana by OCRA.
For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/cdbg/.
