Grants to help improve housing in 2 local cities

Staff report

SALEM

Salem and East Liverpool have received state grants to help improve local housing.

Salem received a total of $500,000 from three grants as part of the Community Housing Improvement Program to take on housing issues in the city, said Mayor John Berlin.

“These are competitive awards you apply for yearly. Then you cross your fingers and hope you get something,” he said. “In the last few years, we’ve had a lot of success getting these grants.”

Through the grant, the city will provide four households with rehabilitation assistance, eight with home-repair assistance, and three will receive rental-subsidy assistance, Berlin said. All those eligible for assistance for either city will have incomes at or below 50 percent of the area’s median income, which classifies as households with low- to moderate-income levels.

The award will provide funding to offer homeownership assistance for three households and homeowner counseling to 28, he said. The city also will be able to fund the construction of two Habitat for Humanity homes.

“There have already been 33 Habitat homes built, and they’re working on a 34th as we speak,” Berlin said. “Hopefully, by this time next year, we will have two more in Salem or the surrounding area.”

The money will have a significant impact on improving housing in the city, he said.

In addition, East Liverpool received $93,000 from the Ohio Department of Development.

East Liverpool will use the grant money to provide rental subsidies to three households, offer rental- rehabilitation assistance for two properties and provide home-repair assistance to 10 homes and rehabilitation assistance to four, according to the department of development.

The award also will be used for homeownership assistance for two renters and homeowner counseling to 28 people.

Representatives from East Liverpool were not available to comment.