Teresa Williams
THOMASVILLE — Work continues on components of a redevelopment plan under way within Thomasville.
The Thomasville City Council approved the submittal of a Community Development Block Grant application for the 2010 funding cycle at its March 8 meeting.
The application is for $800,000 in order to complete projects within the Victoria Place Urban Redevelopment Plan, City Planner Lee Chastain said.
“It is a multi-activity project,” he explained Friday. “Funds will go toward constructing a proposed new road, existing infrastructure deficiencies, work on drainage improvements and a portion will go to assisting with new home construction.”
The VPURP is currently being funded and some of its projects are being implemented, Chastain said. These include the completed Park at Victoria Place and engineering and construction of a multi-use trail.
“The purpose of the plan is to improve blighted conditions, address affordable housing, promote economic development, improve existing infrastructure, and address quality of life for residents in the Victoria Place area and the whole city,” he said. “As we move along with this plan, projects are interrelated and one project will benefit others.”
Charlotte Christian, city housing administrator, said the CDBG is important to do infrastructure needed to provide for housing and rehabbing the older homes.
“Many of the houses are substandard and do not meet code,” she said. “This grant helps get them up to code and meet the current needs of the neighborhood.”
Rental property owners have a chance to apply for a 50 percent cost grant for house rehabilitation, and qualified, first time home buyers also have the chance to apply for a down payment assistance grant.
For more information on grant assistance options, contact Christian at 227-3368.
The city also is currently soliciting letters from Victoria Place area residents and community members about the pressing issues in the neighborhood to be submitted with its grant application, staff said.
Most of the older houses in the revitalization area are 1,000 to 1,400 square feet, Christian said. She estimated the new constructions will be 1,000 to 1,600 square feet in size.
The first new home is located at 110 Magnolia Street, a model home built by Habitat for Humanity.
“It is a two story house in the style of those already built in the Victoria Place area,” Christian explained. “It will have the same general historic architecture to mirror the neighborhood. They are not completely finished, but it is looking good.”
Ken Manwaring, executive director of Thomasville-Thomas County Habitat for Humanity, said all that remains on the home is the yard, steps and turning on the electricity. Weather permitting, he expects to have the home ready by the end of the month.
“I think this is a great idea and the city has grants to help the people that live in this area redo their homes,” Manwaring said. “I think this plan is a great opportunity to help get nice housing to lower income families.”
The application is due April 1.
Chastain said the city should hear whether or not it will receive the grant in the fall.
“One thing we can do now is obtain a preapproval cost agreement,” he said. “That allows us to begin incurring some expenses that would be eligible for reimbursement under the grant. That would give us the chance to move forward on stuff like engineering and planning-related activities.”
