HUD money for Gainesville housing rehab. this year

GAINESVILLE - The City of Gainesville is budgeting its federal Housing and Urban Development funds for housing renovation and slum removal this year.

Gainesville, as a HUD entitlement city, gets $380,250 plus loan income from previous awarded grants that amounts to $410,250 according to Housing Programs Director Chris Davis, who presented the 2012 Action Plan to City Council this week. Davis said funding has to meet one of three objectives.

"One of those is low and moderate income benefit, removal of slums and blight, and urgent needs," Davis said. "The activities we have proposed for this coming year are housing for $277,250 which includes homeowner rehab funds and property acquisition."

Davis told Council at Tuesday's regular meeting he wants to acquire vacant rental properties in disrepair and rehabilitate those if possible. Fifteen percent of the award is also budgeted for services including homeless shelters and domestic violence centers.

Davis said $4,000 is budgeted for Fair Housing activities as required by HUD.

"We try to encourage and promote Fair Housing awareness and I've budgeted the funds to help further those efforts," Davis said.

$72,000 is set aside for program administration, which covers staff salaries and other related advertising associated with the program.

Council members also agreed to sign the contracts on $306,000 worth of (CHIP) or Community Home Improvement Program grants on a recommendation from City Manager Kip Padgett.

Veteran Councilman Bob Hamrick made the motion approving the resolution accepting the state grants, saying, "if anyone offers us $300,000 we better take it."