By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington is trying to do more with less when it comes federal Community Development funds.
The city is getting $540,544 from U.S. Housing and Urban Development for programs intended to help families rely less on welfare and become more self sufficient. Jennifer Toney, grants coordinator for Bloomington’s Community Development Department, noted that’s about a two-percent drop since last year but a precipitous drop since the program started 42 years ago.
“Two things have happened: one, there’s more communities taking advantage of it and two, the feds are allocating less money for the program as a whole,” Toney said. “That kind of makes the pot a little smaller, actually it’s about a third of what it used to be.”
A total of $2.8 million in HUD funding was recently announced by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s office for nearly two dozen Illinois communities.
A bulk of the money is offered to low-income families who need help rehabbing their home.
“We do a lot of roofs, new siding and windows, things like that,” Toney added.
The city is accepting applications through Aug. 31. Applicants have to meet income requirements. The city is required to spend 70 percent of its CDBG funding to benefit low and moderate income households, Toney said.
Funding also pays to demolish homes and buildings which are beyond repair. They are torn down and the property donated to charities such as Habitat for Humanity and Youth Build. Toney said they city will fund approximately six of those projects each year.
The city also uses funding for public services such as Peace Meal deliveries and public facilities such as Heartland Head Start which will be getting a new playground.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
