The City of Danville has been awarded a 399 thousand dollar grant from the Strong Communities Program. Mayor Rickey Williams says the money will be used for additional demolitions of abandoned structures in the city.
The Illinois Housing Development Authority Board approved $19 million to support affordable housing and community revitalization efforts across Illinois. The funds will go to 68 units of local governments and land bank authorities for the acquisition, maintenance, rehabilitation, and demolition of abandoned residential properties.
The Champaign County Regional Planning Council also was awarded 337 thousand dollars. The City of Champaign was granted 135 thousand dollars.
The program aims to return vacant residential properties to productive and taxable use through rehabilitation, and provide funds for demolition in cases where properties are beyond repair and negatively impacting neighborhoods. The program hopes to help to increase property values, create jobs, help reduce crime, generate additional tax revenue, and attract further community investment.
