Vote likely on revision

September 1, 2010 at 12:07a.m.

By ED RUNYAN

WARREN

Trumbull County commissioners are expected today to approve the revised distribution of federal Neighborhood Stabilization funds to the cities of Niles, Girard and Cortland and 16 Trumbull County townships and villages.

The Trumbull County Planning Commission oversaw the spending of Trumbull County’s $3.4 million allocation, which was used in part for housing and other structure demolition ($1.8 million) and in part to assist with the creation of affordable housing $1.25 million). An additional amount paid administrative costs.

The main adjustments to the earlier distribution estimates were a reduction in the amount Niles used — $329,250 instead of $550,000; and an increase in the amount Girard used: $456,400 instead of $350,000.

Because Niles didn’t use all of the money it was offered, additional money was available for Girard and for 16 townships and villages, said Julie Green, grants coordinator for the planning commission.

Warren was allocated a separate amount: $1.4 million, that it plans to use to demolish about 350 homes and other structures.

The Trumbull County money will be used to demolish 237 structures, including two schools in Girard, a large commercial building in Niles and a commercial building in Cortland.

The demolitions began this year, and will continue into 2011.

Girard is removing 44 structures and using $35,000 to rehabilitate one rental building.

Niles is removing 39 structures and using $65,000 to provide an income- qualified homeowner with down-payment assistance on the purchase of a home.

In the areas Green oversees — the city of Cortland; the townships of Bazetta, Braceville, Bristol, Brookfield, Hartford, Howland, Hubbard, Johnston, Liberty, Mecca, Newton, Warren, Weathersfield; and the villages of McDonald, Orangeville, and West Farmington — 152 structures are being demolished, and $1.1 million is being used for rehabilitation of low-income housing.

Of those, 34 have been demolished so far, leaving 118 more to be razed later this year and into next.