$150,000 GRANT TO HELP IMPROVE HOUSING IN CAIRO

CAIRO, Ill. -- The city of Cairo has been selected to receive a Community Development Assistance Program grant to help in the demolition of old, vacant buildings and rehabilitation of substandard housing.

"We're one of 17 communities in Southern Illinois to be approved for a CDAP grant," said Cairo Mayor James Wilson. "Most of the $150,000 funding we'll receive will be used for removal of abandoned buildings that pose safety hazards to nearby occupied homes."

Wilson said part of the Cairo grant will be used for rehabilitation of houses in need under guidelines established by the Southern Five Regional Planning Agency, which will administer the program. Southern Five will seek bids for all work.

"These grants cannot correct all of the housing problems," said Wilson. "But they can help ensure that many dwellings are brought up to code to provide safe, decent housing."

Area housing grants in the immediate Southern Illinois areas will be received by Mound City, in Pulaski County $100,000, to rehabilitate a dozen homes and $125,000 by Grand Chain to rehabilitate 15 homes.

Williamson County will receive $200,000 to assist in the renovation of 25 homes in an area known as the Number Nine Unincorporated Area in the northwestern portion of the county and Mount Vernon will receive $325,000 to rehabilitate 25 homes.

Two other Southern Illinois areas receiving grants include West Frankfort, $300,000 to assist in renovation of 30 homes, and Franklin County for rehabilitation of 25 homes.

The CDAP program is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Gov. Jim Edgar announced the grants for a total of 30 Illinois communities recently, explaining that they would share about $5 million. In announcing the grant, Edgar said many Illinois families lived in unsafe homes.

"We want to take a more active role in seeing that our citizens have access to the best possible housing they can," said Edgar.