IHRA announces $15 million for community revitalization projects

Chicago Construction News staff writer

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has announced $15 million in grant funding to support affordable housing and community revitalization efforts across the state.

Available under the second round of IHDA’s Strong Communities Program (SCP), the initiative provides funding to units of local government and land bank authorities for the acquisition, maintenance, rehabilitation and demolition of abandoned residential properties in their communities.

A link to the application – including details on an informational webinar at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16 – can be found here. Applications will be accepted through 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

Created in August 2020, this round of the Strong Communities Program provides grants of up to $750,000 to help Illinois municipalities, counties and land banks address local affordable housing needs and community revitalization efforts, aiming to return vacant residential properties to use through rehabilitation and provide funds for demolition when properties are beyond repair and negatively impacting neighboring residences.

“As our infrastructure ages, it is imperative our housing stock receive the care and upgrades necessary to keep them viable,” said IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust. “If the properties are abandoned or vacant, it is on the city or county to maintain them at the cost of the taxpayers. The Strong Communities Program is helping offset some of the cost burden to help local governments invest in their cities by revitalizing these properties.”

SCP program funds will reimburse applicants for costs related to the acquisition, rehabilitation and maintenance of abandoned residential properties and may also include reimbursements for tree, shrub and debris removal, lot treatment and greening and other reasonable construction costs associated with returning vacant, abandoned and deteriorated properties to productive use.

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