Although there is substantial interest here in a grant program that would help low-income individuals make repairs to their homes, it is far from a done deal.
More likely, it could be considered a longshot that Clarksdale and/or Coahoma County will receive funding from the HOME Investment Partnership program.
On Wednesday, July 25, about 15 individuals were at the Clarksdale City Hall for a public hearing to learn more about the competitive grant program that is available to provide assistance to families that are making major repairs or reconstructing their home to bring it up to Southern Standard Building Codes.
However, Lillian Morris-Hilson said there is stiff competition for the $7 million allocated this year for HOME grants in Mississippi. As an example, she said
“HOME funds are very limited,” said Morris-Hilson, who concentrates on community development as a program specialist at the North Delta Planning and Development District office in Batesville.
She said even if a government entity like the City of Clarksdale is chosen to participate in the program, the city would be limited to a total of $500,000 to use on the renovation and reconstruction of homes within the city limits.
Still, the daunting odds didn’t seem to dissuade the enthusiasm of the 15 city residents present at the public hearing.
If the City of Clarksdale’s application does pass phase one and the city is chosen for funding, then program administrators like Morris-Hilson would then start to make the determination as to which homeowners would be eligible for the grants.
There are a number of stipulations that must be met, Morris-Hilson said, such as the person must have lived in the home for the past 12 months and prove ownership.
Also, while there can be a mortgage, it has to be at least 10 years old and there can be no history of late payments.
The applicant must also meet income guidelines, which typically have a maximum limit of $20,000 to $25,000 for a one-person household to a $32,000 income max on a two-person household.
There is also a limit on how much will be allocated to each approved applicant’s home.
There is a $40,000 limit on a grant being used for renovations with that amount rising to $60,000 if the building’s registered as a national historic property.
The limit on reconstruction of a home is $100,000.
“So, at most, you are looking at 10 to 12 homes max,” said Morris-Hilson, who said the goal of the project is to renovate homes, but sometimes reconstruction does take place.
There was an identical public hearing held Thursday at the Coahoma County Courthouse for those county residents interested in the HOME grants.
The next step is for both the city and county governments to submit their applications for phase one of the project. The date for applications to be in to Mississippi Home Corp, who administers the grants statewide, is Aug. 16. The decisions on which cities and counties will receive the grants will likely come in October or early November.
The decision on which homeowners receive the grants will likely come at the end of the year. Morris-Hilson encouraged those in attendance to indicate their interest in the program and, if the city is approved in the first phase, then they will begin the process of interviewing local applicants later this fall.
Want to know more?
Want to learn more about the HOME grant program? Contact the North Delta Planning office at 220 Power Drive in Batesville at 662-561-4100.
