Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation grants will be used to empower these 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.
An Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Grant is awarded to Rush County for $500,000.
“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.”
The Planning Grant program encourages communities to plan for sustainable community development with the aid of subject matter experts and community input. The applications being funded this quarter address comprehensive planning efforts, water utilities, downtown revitalization and broadband readiness.
Comprehensive Planning Grants are designed to aid communities in evaluating assets and identifying opportunities to address current needs in the following areas: land use, government capacity, public services, placemaking, economic development, housing, transportation, agriculture, natural resources and historic resources.
Comprehensive Planning Grants of $50,000 each are awarded to the following communities:
- The Town of St. Paul
- The Town of Versailles
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 are awarded to the following communities:
- The Town of Farmland is awarded $90,000
- The Town of Kentland is awarded $90,000
- The Town of Walton is awarded $87,284
- The Town of Shelburn is awarded $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.
A Downtown Revitalization Planning Grant of $40,000 is awarded to the Town of Fairmont.
