GIRARD State grant will upgrade city housing

The CHIP grant will be used to improve the city's housing stock.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- The city has been awarded a $550,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development to upgrade housing.
Mayor James J. Melfi said it is about the same amount the city received in the last round of grants through the Community Housing Improvement Program.
The money will be used to provide eight owner-occupied households with rehabilitation assistance, six owner-occupied houses with home repair assistance, five households with down-payment assistance to help with the purchase of five single-family houses and rehabilitation assistance for five rental units.
All activities, according to the development department, will target households with incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income in two target areas, the mayor said.
Targeted areas
One of the areas is the Parkwood section of the city on the Southeast Side. It is generally bounded by U.S. Route 422 to the east, Interstate 80 to the north, the city limits to the south and east.
The other target area is generally bounded by state Route 304 to the north, I-80 to the south, Wellman Street to the east and Conrail railroad tracks to the west.
The city will spend $440,000 on the programs and the balance for administration.
Of the $440,000, $215,000 will be given to homeowners to correct sub-standard conditions so the structures are safe.
In most cases, the state agency said, the money will be used to improve electrical, plumbing and heating systems, roofs, walls, flooring and foundations.
An additional $35,000 will be used for home repairs to preserve the housing stock. Activities include improving one or two problems such as structural, mechanical and septic-system failures.
An additional $100,000 will be allocated to improve rental properties. In most cases, this money is to improve units' mechanical problems and/or exterior and interior structure.
Also, $90,000 will go toward financial assistance to purchase homes and to correct problems to make them safe, healthy, durable, energy efficient and affordable.