It has been a transition year for Serve City after the June death of its longtime executive director, Linda Kimble, and the agency will have another year to hone its request, Hood said.
“They were built through federal HOME loan funds and a number of other partnership funding requests, about 11 years ago,” Hood said. “As we have looked at the needs of the community through Serve City, one of the things we have identified is the critical need for more low-income housing.”
The HOME funds instead went to Neighborhood Housing Services, which is to receive all the $125,000 it requested for new construction on North E Street. Another $125,000 will go to the same organization to help people with housing closing costs and down payments, city council approves a consultant’s recommendations. Still another $82,200 will go to NHS to completely rehab a single-family home at 513 S. 4th St.
Meanwhile, Serve City requested $50,000 to provide support services to the poor from federal Community Development Block Grants, and is to receive $20,000.
The largest recommended recipient of the CDBG funds again this year is the city’s fire department, which is to get 51.5 percent of all the CDBG money. That money — $750,000 of the total $1.45 million — will be used to buy a fire apparatus called a Quint.
The city’s fire department also requested $40,000 to rehab Fire Station 21, and $300,000 to rehab Station 25, but those were not recommended. Also not recommended were $200,000 for life squad replacement.
In total, social-service agencies and city departments requested $2.1 million in CDBG money, with $1.45 million to be provided.
Hamilton’s health department requested $255,000 for code enforcement and elimination of blight. It is to receive $170,000. The Neighborhood Development Division is to get all the $75,000 it sought for emergency and minor home repairs. The SELF organization is to receive all $20,000 it requested for its Neighbors Who Care home-repair program. The city’s Economic Development Department is to receive all $14,410 it requested for two efforts, including a design-assistance program.
The YMCA sought $70,000 for programming at the Booker T. Washington Community Center, with all recommended. The YWCA received all $12,000 sought for its Fierce Girls program. Hamilton Municipal Court sought $45,000 for victims’ advocacy programs, with $37,000 recommended. The Fitton Center is to receive $26,000 for community outreach, and the Butler County Transit Alliance is to receive $25,000 of the $35,000 it sought for its job-connection shuttle.
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