East Spencer to hold public hearing on housing preservation grant
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 16, 2016
By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com
EAST SPENCER — The town board will hold a public hearing today during its work session to hear concerns or questions from the community about a housing preservation grant the town is applying for, one that would provide money to rehab some homes.
If awarded, the grant would provide assistance to low-income homeowners to make needed improvements to their homes. The $75,000 Housing Preservation Grant would provide rehab for six to nine houses.
The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the board’s chambers at 105 S. Long St. There will be certain criteria homeowners must meet, including having a gross annual adjusted income below 50 percent of the median income of $41,495 for Rowan County. Priority will be given to households below 30 percent of median income for the county. Qualifying applicants can be accepted from anywhere within the town. Applicants to be identified are expected to have some of the most serious housing needs in the town, officials have said.
The balance left from the 2011 Community Development Block Grant Housing Project will provide an estimated $75,000 in grant funding. The funds were given to the town in 2012. The CDBG funding was for repairs to 15 low-income and very low-income homes and rehab of five dwellings.
The board will also:
• Hear a special presentation from Lynn Straughn regarding a Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program is designed to help small communities with feasibility studies and design assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. One criteria is a community must have a population of less than 2,500 and have a median household income level below the poverty line.
• Swear-in aldermen and women.
• Discuss the town’s refund policy.
Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.
