Nearly five years after receiving funds, the West Bloomington Housing Collaborative (WBHC) has ended its $1.5 million housing project.
Mid Central Community Action (MCCA) Executive Director Deborah White said the group successfully built three homes, renovated 13 existing homes, and made 20 home repairs with funds from a 2013 Illinois Attorney General National Foreclosure Settlement award.
The West Jefferson Community House was one of the 13 renovated homes. MCCA announced its plan to sell the house last month.
At a press conference Monday, White said selling the Community House was always part of the plan.
White quoted a Jefferson Street Advisory Councilmember: “She said that we needed the walls of that building to start building community, but not we don’t need the walls anymore. So I thought that was (profound). So maybe we don’t need a building for youth activities, but we’ll check it out.”
Despite the housing project ending, White said work on Bloomington's west side is not done.
“I think residents would say, and we would agree, that we’d like to offer more positive activities for our youth in this neighborhood,” she said. “They deserve it. Kids are our future.”
The WHBC is a collaborative effort between MCCA, the West Bloomington Revitalization Project, and Habitat for Humanity McLean County.
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