April 20, 2024
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Streator, Ottawa, Marseilles, Spring Valley receive $550,000 for housing rehabilitation

Low-to-moderate income homeowners within specific neighborhoods can apply for up to $50,000

By Derek Barichello
Ashlin Jackson (left), 16, of Marseilles, and Ryker Terry, 14, of Seneca, landscape as they volunteer for Labor of Love at a home on 1100 block of Washington Street in Marseilles on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.

Low-to-moderate income homeowners within specific neighborhoods in Streator, Ottawa, Marseilles and Spring Valley may be eligible for housing rehabilitation grants. (Katy Arnold ofr )

Low-to-moderate income homeowners within specific neighborhoods in Streator, Ottawa, Marseilles and Spring Valley may be eligible for housing rehabilitation grants.

The four cities received $550,000 each for housing rehabilitation from Community Development Block Grants awarded by the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. The state awarded $8 million in assistance for 15 communities to invest in 154 housing improvement projects.

Housing rehabilitation grants are designed to assist low-to-moderate income homeowners with improvements to ensure safe and sanitary living conditions. Eligible uses of funds include structural work, electrical, plumbing, new appliances, flooring, ADA and accessibility accommodations, among others. Homeowners work through the local unit of government to apply for the grant, with up to $50,000 available for each home.

Within Streator, only homes within the boundaries of the corner of Sixth Street and Bloomington Street to the Vermilion River, then north of East Main Street east to Vermillion Street, then north to LaRue Street stretching from Vermillion Street to Bloomington Street, and then from West Lincoln Avenue to the south.

A map of home eligible for Community Development Block Grant housing rehabilitation funds within Streator.

A map of home eligible for Community Development Block Grant housing rehabilitation funds within Streator. (Image provided)

The area eligible for grants in Marseilles is selected stretches from Main Street to Chicago Street and is bordered by Bluff Street to the north and the Illinois River to the south.

In Ottawa, the targeted project area is bounded by Columbus Street on the west, railroad tracts to the north and Fox River along the southeast.

A map outlines the area the city of Ottawa will apply for grant funding for housing rehabilitation.

A map outlines the area the city of Ottawa will apply for grant funding for housing rehabilitation. (Provided)

Homeowner in Spring Valley are eligible in an area north and west of Spring Creek, south of Dakota Street (U.S. 6) and east of Spalding Street (Route 89).

A map of the area that would be the recipient of a neighborhood improvement grant in Spring Valley.

A map of the area that would be the recipient of a neighborhood improvement grant in Spring Valley. (Photo provided)

“The Community Development Block Grants for Housing Rehabilitation is going to be a lifeline for dozens of families in my district that will have critical safety issues addressed in their homes,” said Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa). “Given the great shortage of safe, adequate, and available housing we are seeing across the country, this couldn’t come at a better time. Congratulations to Ottawa, Marseilles, Spring Valley and Streator on being awarded these funds. Gratitude is due to North Central Illinois Council of Governments for their aggressive pursuit of grant funds across the Illinois Valley.”

The Community Development Block Grants project is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These state-administered funds are earmarked exclusively for non-metropolitan communities that do not receive CDBG entitlement funding from HUD. All funding will benefit communities with 51% or more low-to-moderate income residences, in accordance with CDBG program requirements.