At Tuesday night’s Jefferson City Council meeting, Laurie Gilbert, housing program manager with Region XII in Carroll, advised the council about the current financial standing with the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).
She told the council that when they started the NSP program three years ago that the original grant was written for a little less than $667,000 to demolish or rehabilitate seven houses within the city. Three years later, the city has gained more funds through NSP and the federal government and has demolished or rehabbed 21 houses in Jefferson and accumulated over $308,000 in total net proceeds from those properties. The city was originally suppose to pay $50,000 to support their side of the NSP program but because they have been so good at managing the funds, NSP has paid 100% of all the demolition and rehabs of residential properties. The total amount is close to one million dollars used from NSP and proceeds.
A new and positive problem was brought to the council’s attention about how to spend $52,600 in income from NSP in order to access the remaining $60,960 in funds before the deadline of March 31st.
City Administrator Mike Palmer says the council were recommended by Gilbert and made the decision to give the income money to Habitat for Humanity’s Helping Hands Program. One of the stipulations was that the money had to be given to a non-profit organization. Palmer points out that with this particular Habitat for Humanity program it keeps the money in the city.
“In this case, Habitat is getting more into where they’re actually going in and refurbishing houses. This kind of money they could maybe put $10,000 into five homes, what a difference that’s going to make. It keeps the money in town, improves houses and makes the quality of life for residents much, much better.”
Once the city unloads the income funds, they will be able to continue to draw from the NSP funds. Of the $60,960 that is left to use up before March 31st, the city has already designated $27,390 for four more houses to be demolished later this year. Palmer comments that they still have time to use the remaining $39,000 to obtain at least a couple more houses before the deadline.