SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AREA TO BENEFIT FROM HOUSING GRANTS

VIENNA, Ill. -- More than 19 percent of the homes in Vienna were built before 1939.

Some of them have crumbling foundations, sagging roofs and porches, and windows are in need of repair. Due to changes in building codes, many of the homes now violate plumbing and electrical codes.

With a number of the city's residents below the poverty level, and several 65 and over, finding funds to rehabilitate homes is difficult.

Many residents of Pulaski and Mounds have the same problems.

Gov. Jim Edgar, who was in Vienna recently, has announced that 21 Southern Illinois communities -- including Vienna, Mounds, Pulaski and Anna -- will share in more than $4 million in grants to help renovate substandard housing.

The grants from the Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) and Affordable Housing Trust Fund (HTF) will help with renovation of owner-occupied homes and rental homes occupied by low- and moderate-income families.

In making the announcements, Edgar said some homes in communities throughout Illinois are becoming unsafe.

"The problem is particularly acute for senior citizens on fixed incomes," said Edgar. "These are people who sometimes must choose between buying food and medicine or making home repairs."

Edgar said the grants will not eliminate the problem, but will ensure that many unsafe dwellings are brought up to code, providing safe and decent housing.

"We're happy to see the grants," said Alvin Showmaker, mayor of Pulaski, a town of about 300 people. "We've been working on a sewer system here, and some of these houses have to be brought up to code before they can hook into the system."

Finding funds to rehabilitate homes is difficult for many Pulaski residents, said Showmaker.

Pulaski will receive a $150,000 CDAP grant that will be partially leveraged through a $37,500 HTF grant to the Southern Five Regional Planning Commission. The funds will be used to assist in the rehabilitation of 19 homes.

Mounds will receive $200,000 in CDAP grants, with $50,000 in HTF funds for improvements to 22 homes; Vienna will receive $175,000 (CDAP) and $43,750 (HTF) for rehabilitation of 22 homes; and Anna, will receive $175,000 (CDAP) and $43,750 (HTF) for 21 homes.

Among other communities scheduled for grants are Carbondale, 20 homes, $200,000 CDAP and $50,000 HTF; Herrin, 28 homes, $250,000 CDAP; and Colp, 14 homes, $100,000 CDAP and $25,000 HTF.

CDAP is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are awarded on a competitive basis to local government with populations of 40,000 or less that are not located within one of the six large urban counties that receive funds directly from HUD.

HTF, administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority, uses a portion of the state's real estate transfer fees -- averaging about $15 million a year -- to attract other housing dollars from non-profit groups, banks, businesses, developers and other governmental units.