Applications are now being accepted for four grant programs intended to promote equity and community development in Owensboro’s Northwest Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA).
According to officials with the Community Development Department, the Northwest NRSA is predominantly low-income and has suffered disproportionately from low housing values, high rates of vacancy and abandonment, poverty, crime and public health problems.
The four grant programs include single-family new development, single-family rehabilitation, single-family rental rehabilitation reimbursement, and 50/50 demolition.
The boundaries for the Northwest NRSA include Walnut Street to Ewing Road, and the north side of 5th Street to the corporate boundaries on the Ohio River.
Single-family new development
Eligible applicants include private developers that must provide proof of their business entity’s status of good standing with the City of Owensboro.
The City of Owensboro will make up to $15 per square foot available for grants pertaining to the construction of new, single-family homes not to exceed 2,000 square feet and $120 per square foot of construction costs.
Both single-family construction and rehabilitation grants are intended to help create opportunities to attract new residents, create a diversity of uses and enhance the quality of life for current residents.
They should also encourage energy-efficient technology, support mixed-income housing, strengthen the connection between health and housing and provide gap financing that moves a project forward.
The online application and a complete list of requirements for construction grants can be found here.
Single-family rehabilitation
The City will also make up to $12 per square foot available for the rehabilitation of new, single-family homes not to exceed 2,200 square feet and $120 per square foot of rehab cost.
Final award of grant funds will be contingent on the City’s ability to underwrite funds for the project.
Applicants can request funds for multiple projects but will be asked to rank projects in priority order and will need to demonstrate the organizational capacity to implement projects. Applicants requesting funds for multiple projects in the same community will be required to demonstrate how these projects support a community plan or other strategic revitalization strategy.
The online application and a complete list of requirements for single-family home rehabilitation grants can be found here.
Single-family rental rehabilitation reimbursement
Landlord rental rehab reimbursement grants will provide assistance to eligible landlords to undertake maintenance and repairs for unit occupancy by a low-to-moderate individual or household.
To be eligible, tenant incomes must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income at the time of signing the lease or rental agreement. In Daviess County, a family of four must make $51,500 or less annually to meet the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s low-income limit.
Through this grant, landlords will make eligible improvements to vacant rental units to facilitate quick occupancy of the unit to an LMI individual or household. The landlord will be reimbursed for eligible maintenance and repair expenses once proof of occupancy of the unit is provided.
The maximum grant award is $4,000.
The grant will not reimburse for the personal time and labor of the landlord or property owner. The grant will only reimburse for materials or contracted services/labor with a third party for which there is a receipt/invoice.
An online application and complete list of requirements can be found here.
50/50 demolition
According to the Community Development Department, “50/50 demolition grants are being made available to assure an adequate and affordable housing supply that provides a convenient, safe and aesthetically appealing living environment.”
This grant program will provide an opportunity for the City to address demolition of dilapidated housing stock to attract and retain single-family homeowners.
To be eligible for this grant program, the property must be located within the Northwest NRSA, and the grant applicant must present a copy of the property deed stating they are the owner.
The City will provide 50% of the cost, not to exceed $5,000 for the demolition of existing substandard housing units.
The online application and a complete list of requirements for 50/50 demolition grants can be found here.
