The Illinois Housing Development Authority has awarded $103,000 to the City of Bloomington for community revitalization work.
Part of the Strong Communities Program, the funding comes from a $19 million pool for local governments and land bank authorities to use for demolishing, rehabbing or acquiring abandoned residential properties. The program was created in 2020 as a byproduct of the Rebuild Illinois capital plan.
Funding is sourced from the Building Illinois Bond Fund; $30 million has been dispersed so far following two application rounds.
A city spokesperson said Monday that officials could not yet provide details on what the money will be used for since it has not gone before the city council. The funding is a grant provided via reimbursement by the state upon approval.
According to state program documentation, the main project that funding supports must either be the rehabilitation or demolition of an abandoned property. Uses for the funding also can include, according to state documentation:
- Tree, shrub or debris removal
- Lot treatment and greening
- Hard or soft construction costs related to the project
- Acquisition and other administrative costs
Other central Illinois municipalities that received funding include Peoria's city and county governments, awarded $712,000 and $239,000 respectively.
