Perry wins grant of fix up houses

The city of Perry announced Wednesday that it has been awarded a $306,000 grant for fixing up houses in a low-income neighborhood.

The grant comes through the Community HOME Investment Program, or CHIP, administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

Robert Smith, Perry’s economic development director, said it’s the first time in many years that the city has gotten a CHIP grant. It will go toward rehabilitating homes in the Sand Hill neighborhood, which is between downtown and the Georgia National Fairgrounds, east of Gen. Courtney Hodges Boulevard.

“I think it will make a significant difference,” he said. “There are a lot of substandard houses in that neighborhood.”

Only homes that are occupied by the owner will be eligible for assistance. Smith said about 80 homes in the area have been identified as meeting that criteria, but there are also other considerations, including income level.

The city probably won’t start taking applications for assistance until early July, Smith said. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis until the money runs out.

He said no matching funds are required from the city, so there’s no cost in local dollars aside from the time of city staff.

Money will not be given directly to the homeowners, he said. Instead the city will hire contractors to do the work.

For more on this story, come back to macon.com and read Thursday’s Telegraph.

This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 3:09 PM with the headline "Perry wins grant of fix up houses."