FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 27, 2002

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that 44 Illinois communities will share $16.5 million in Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) Housing Rehabilitation grant awards. The CDAP grants also are the first year of funding for Mobility and Accessibility Rehabilitation Supplement (MARS) grant awards that directly benefit households occupied by persons with disabilities.

“Local municipalities throughout Illinois will be able to rehabilitate or replace nearly 600 owner-occupied single family homes, many of them with disabled residents,” said Governor Ryan. “These funds are crucial in providing a safe, comfortable environment for hundreds of Illinois families who might not otherwise be able to afford such basic repairs to their homes.”

The CDAP grants are available to units of local government with populations of 50,000 or less not located in an entitlement city or county, for rehabilitation of substandard housing units occupied by low to moderate-income families. Grant funds will be used to correct building code violations of substandard housing. Typical rehabilitation work will include repairs to the mechanical and structural elements of the homes (foundation, heating, plumbing and electrical systems, etc.) as well as roofs, windows, doors and handicap accessibility needs.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) administers the CDAP program which is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A total of 97 applications were received requesting more than $35.3 million in grants. A competitive application review was conducted and funding amounts were determined based on applications with the highest ratings.

“These grants are aimed at addressing basic quality of life issues that many of us take for granted,” said DCCA Director Pam McDonough. “Rehabbing individual homes goes a long way in strengthening the character of a neighborhood and restoring pride in a community.”

Peter R. Dwars, Executive Director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority, said the state's affordable housing finance agency added $1.3 million in Trust Fund dollars to the cause. "IHDA is glad to partner again with DCCA in making homes of Illinois residents safer and more comfortable." Dwars said the IHDA contribution will help 297 low- and very low-income houses.

As an example, the City of Benld will receive $474,000 in CDAP and MARS grant funds to rehabilitate 22 owner occupied single family homes within a targeted area of the city. Approximately $100,000 of the grant funds will be used for handicap accessibility rehabilitation to 5 of the 22 homes.

Below is a list of the 44 CDAP grant recipients that will use the funds to rehabilitate single family homes.