La Salle council takes next step in housing rehabilitation grant application

Multiple La Salle residents attended a public hearing Wednesday regarding the city’s application for a Housing Rehabilitation Grant.

The meeting gave residents an opportunity to ask questions or express any concerns before the city turned in its application.

Housing rehabilitation grants are available for owner-occupied homes. They are designed to assist low-to-moderate-income homeowners with improvements to ensure safe and sanitary living conditions.

Eligible uses of funds include structural work, electrical, plumbing, new appliances, flooring, and Americans With Disabilities Act-complaint and accessibility accommodations, among others.

In October, the council voted to put $20,000 from its general funds to the $650,000 grant.

North Central Illinois Council of Governments office manager Shug Grosenbach, who is writing the application for La Salle, said the surveys the residents have filled out were for the application.

“You have to have 30 at least to apply,” she said. “[You have] to get 10 homes, so I’m sure some of you did that, and that was just for the application.”

Economic Development Director Curt Bedei said he believes the city had about 60 surveys turned in.

Grosenbach said the program ceiling is $650,000, which is up to $60,000 a home. She said the grant administration takes care of everything from beginning to end, including the inspector.

A few audience members questioned who would be contracted to do the work if the grant was accepted.

“If the grant is awarded, we have contractors that have been through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification,” Grosenbach said. “They are certified with the community that they work in, and you can’t do the work yourself.”

Grosenbach said she is hoping to finish the applications by 5 p.m. Jan. 12 to Jan. 18 at the very latest.

If the city is awarded the grant, the public will be invited back to another public meeting, and applications would be issued.

The council suggested putting a notice in residents’ water bill to keep them informed about the grant’s status.

Bedei said that just because someone submitted a survey doesn’t mean they submitted their home as a qualifier for the money.

“The application process happens in August or thereafter,” Bedei said. “So anyone that lives within the city limits of La Salle and meets the parameters of the grant can still apply their home for those funds.”