Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Facebook
Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Facebook
Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently announced the availability of $15 million in grants to support revitalization efforts and increase access to affordable housing throughout Illinois.
“In Illinois, we believe every single person deserves to live in a home that is safe and affordable,” Pritzker said in a press release. “For far too long, many families have resided in homes that lack the essentials everyone is entitled to. Through this funding, we are making historic investments to ensure that we are living up to our values of accessibility and equity while also providing more Illinoisans with the safety and security they have long deserved.”
With the funds made available as part of the second round of The Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Strong Communities Program (SCP), the release states the initiative aims to provide Illinois municipalities, counties and land banks with funding needed “for the acquisition, maintenance, rehabilitation and demolition of abandoned residential properties in their communities.”
Now in its third year of operation, this round of the SCP provides grants of up to $750,000 to fund efforts related to affordable housing and community revitalization.
The grants are funded by the Rebuild Illinois capital plan and are an extension of IHDA's ongoing state- and federally-funded revitalization initiatives in underserved communities. A total of $30 million in grants is expected to be awarded over two application rounds of the SCP program.
“As our infrastructure ages, it is imperative our housing stock receive the care and upgrades necessary to keep them viable,” IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust said in the release. “If the properties are abandoned or vacant, it is on the city or county to maintain them at the cost of the taxpayers. The Strong Communities Program is helping offset some of the cost burden to help local governments invest in their cities by revitalizing these properties.”
Applications for the second round of SCP grants are being accepted through June 7.
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