Whiteville, Bolivar Awarded $1 Million in HOME Grants
Tennessee Housing Development Agency has awarded $1 million in grant funding to two Hardeman County municipalities to make much-needed repairs to substandard homes for elderly and disabled residents.
THDA awarded two $500,000 grants to the City of Bolivar and Town of Whiteville to renovate or rebuild single-family homes located within their jurisdictions. Each locality will be able to repair or rebuild up to seven homes. The project will benefit very-low and low-income individuals that do not have the financial resources to make needed improvements to their residences.
“Providing safe, decent housing is important for all Tennesseans, and with the help of these HOME funds, Bolivar and Whiteville will be able to ensure more residents have access to just that,” THDA Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey said.
Bolivar Mayor Julian McTizic, Sr. said the city was excited to participate in the HOME program.
“The program is designed to benefit families who do not have the financial resources to make necessary improvements to ensure their homes are safe and to bring them up to code,” SAID McTizic, Sr. “This grant provides a unique opportunity to significantly and positively impact the lives of its recipients and we are proud to be a part of it.”
Whiteville Mayor Gene Bowden echoed McTizic’s sentiments.
“This THDA grant will assist in providing adequate housing for some of our citizens and for that we are grateful,” said Bowden.
The next step for Bolivar and Whiteville will be to hold public meetings that outline application procedures and grant guidelines. Once applications are received, a priority list will be formed based on the level of rehabilitation work required, as well as each applicant’s socioeconomic factors.
Each home selected under the program will receive repairs that will bring it up to code. If the hard cost of repairs exceed more than 75 percent of the home’s appraised value, the funds will be used for reconstruction.
The grant is being administered for the City of Bolivar and Town of Whiteville by the Southwest Tennessee Development District. Anyone seeking additional information on the program should contact Bolivar City Hall at (731) 658-2020, or the Whiteville Town Hall at (731) 254-8523.
The HOME program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is administered in part in Tennessee by THDA. During the most recent funding round, THDA awarded 11 competitive HOME grants statewide totaling $4.9 million.
HOME grants must be used for the production, preservation, or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low and very low income families and individuals.
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