Residents in south-west Galesburg may receive a survey from Western Illinois Regional Council (WIRC) this week. The City of Galesburg is applying for a Housing Rehabilitation Grant through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The application process is managed by WIRC on behalf of the City of Galesburg and requires that the City identify an area for the proposed project, as well as survey the residents in the proposed area.
The City has identified Block Group 1 in Census Tract 9, depicted in the attached map, as the proposed area. If the grant application is selected for funding, the program would provide eligible single-family, owner-occupied households in the selected area with housing rehabilitation work. All households that fall within this area will be mailed a survey and are encouraged to fill it out and return it in the provided envelope, per the instructions included with the survey. Each survey returned increases the odds of success for Galesburg’s grant application.
“If you receive a community development block grant survey from WIRC, please take the time to complete and return the survey,” said Steve Gugliotta, Director of Community Development for the City of Galesburg. “It only takes a few minutes, and if the City is successful in receiving the grant, it could fund needed repairs to your home. Even if you don’t believe you would be interested in the program, your neighbors, especially the elderly or disabled, may benefit from the program.”
For any questions regarding the survey, citizens can call WIRC at 309-837-2997. The City will utilize the information collected to apply for the Housing Rehabilitation Grant, and if awarded, the City will distribute information regarding how citizens can apply to take part in the grant program. The City of Galesburg has invested in the improvement of residential neighborhoods, which has included lead remediation work at 68 homes, and repairs to 56 homes through grant opportunities. An interactive map on the city’s website illustrates these investments in our community.
***Courtesy of the City of Galesburg***
