Habitat, others don’t receive grant funding

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February 1, 2010

BY JENNIFER BAILEY The Commercial-News Tue Feb 02, 2010, 12:00 AM CST

DANVILLE — Habitat for Humanity, Crosspoint Human Services and East Central Illinois Community Action Agency didn’t receive competitive housing funding through the Illinois Department of Human Services.

The three organizations applied for $2.5 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding last year.

The funding was to rehabilitate or construct 17 rental housing units and four Habitat homes, east and west of the downtown area.

Habitat executive director John Graves said the money didn’t come through.

Chicago and Chicago suburbs received the majority of funding of about 20 recipients in the inaugural round of grant funding.

The housing here would have been handicapped accessible, including for seniors, persons with disabilities and working families. All sites had not yet been determined.

Graves said his organization would build four houses on city-owned lots on the east side — around Bowman Avenue, north of Main Street.

There are 10 lots about 50 feet wide available on the city’s east side that would fit a long and narrow, shotgun style of home.

“I’m really looking forward to that challenge,” Graves previously said of making the houses fit in the neighborhood. He’s dealt with ranch-style houses since he became director.

The grant funding is to help address abandonment issues, stabilize neighborhoods and stem the decline of house values, according to the IDHS.

The city didn’t apply for the competitive funding, nor did it submit an endorsement letter. City officials wanted more details about the proposal.

Concerns from the public stemmed from Crosspoint’s planned renovation of the apartment building at 324 Oak St., across from fire station No. 1 on Seminary Street and tenants with criminal backgrounds being allowed, and increasing low-income rental housing.

Crosspoint executive director Thom Pollock previously said of the entire housing units: four houses will be owner-occupied Habitat homes, there will be six rental homes offered through the ECICAA, one rental home through Crosspoint and then 10 rental units inside 324 Oak St.

He’s not interested in a “client-filled development” at 324 Oak St. Nor will it be top to bottom formerly incarcerated persons living there.

If the grant funding isn’t received and/or plans are derailed, “17 families don’t have new housing,” Pollock previously said.

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