Rural communities throughout Northern Michigan will see better looking homes this year. This thanks to a grant from the USDA totaling nearly a quarter of a million dollars. Eight Communities in Northern Michigan received grants from the USDA to repair homes and improve housing conditions for low income residents. In all the amount of money coming to the communities is $245,000. Those funds will go toward repairs to 54 housing units throughout Michigan. Bobby Lewis is the Chief of Staff with the Rural Housing Service in Washington D.C. He says that housing committees throughout Northern Michigan played a big part in funding the projects. "Our money helps raise other money, they're actually spending a lot more money than they get from us. We're a partner and they're able to repair a lot more houses with their program. One of the reasons Michigan and these communities were so successful is because they raised a lot of money and they got a lot more for the amount of leveraging" said Lewis. The Committees receiving the funding are the Oscoda Housing Commission, Alpena Home Improvement Program, the Crawford County Home Improvement Program and the Northeast Community Action Agency. "There are specific purposes that the funds can be used for. Generally they are for needed repairs to the water systems, for roofing repairs weatherization or for other repairs to make sure the home remains habitable" said Bryan Hooper, Deputy Administrator for the Office of Multi-Family Housing in Washington, D.C. The funding is made available through the USDA Rural Development Housing Program. Michigan got a similar grant last year.
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Northern Michigan Communities Receive USDA Funding to Improve Low Income Homes
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