The City of Lisbon will be reopening applications for the housing rehabilitation grant program to the entire community. The city has about $143,000 earmarked for the program, which was originally meant for a targeted area.
Mark Culver of Eastern Central Iowa Council of Governments said that the program had received three applications for the targeted area, but had money to fund rehabilitations for six homes. The group had received additional applications outside the target area.
Culver recommended opening the bids to the entire community to allow for a fair process for those applying, with the grants being offered mostly on a first come, first serve basis.
Culver said that the city has $234,994 in Community Block Development Grants for the program, with roughly $143,000 of those monies spent on the first three of six projects.
There is funding for three more projects in the City of Lisbon, and the projects must be completed by Aug. 31, 2021. An extension could be seen due to COVID-19 pandemic, as well as on contractor and material availability.
Lisbon city council member Stephanie Kamberling provided the only dissenting vote on reopening the grant process, noting that opening this up to the whole town was inviting more applications then were originally anticipated for fewer spots now available for the program.
People interested in the Community Block Development Grant programs should contact Lisbon City Hall.