Hamilton dealing with deluge of Block Grant requests

Requests for federal funds total $1.7 million; city has $481,000 to distribute. Panel will start discussions today.

HAMILTON — There are 20 organizations and city departments vying for a bite of Hamilton’s latest slice of federal pie.

But only a small portion will get a taste of the city’s annual allotment of funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban and Development’s Community Development Block Grant program. Requests total more than $1.7 million for the city’s $481,000 portion of CDBG funds.

The most recent requests cover everything from children’s programming to street improvements to a new furnace and walk-in freezer, according to city documents.

Each year, local government entities receive money from the block grant program, administered through HUD.

Unlike most federal or state grants, which carry specific guidelines for spending, CDBG funds can be used for a variety of community-oriented programs.

Up for consideration this year are $12,000 for fire prevention education through the Hamilton Fire Department; $45,656 to resurface basketball and tennis courts at the Booker T. Washington Community Center; $405,000 for the redevelopment of the Lindenwald Business District; and $34,000 for a walk-in freezer at the Open Door Food Pantry.

The city’s Quality of Life Committee is tasked with making recommendations to City Council on which projects to fund. They’ll begin the discussion at its meeting set for 5 p.m. today, June 21, in council chambers.

Agreements will likely will be worked out with grant recipients by the end of the summer or early fall, said Bud Scharf of the city’s planning department.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2112 or dgreber@coxohio.com.

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