The Illinois Housing Development Authority is distributing $10 Million across the state through the Strong Communities Program.
The Strong Communities Program will distribute grants to local government agencies to renovate vacant and run-down properties and allow them to be bought to make them productive and taxable.
The grants can be used to maintain, acquire, or demolish homes while creating jobs and affordable housing.
During this round of grants Harrisburg will receive $100,000 from the program.
Harrisburg Economic and Community Development Coordinator Alex Watkins says the city has been cleaning up properties for the last few years and this is a big boost for them.
“The big focus that we’re doing here at the city of Harrisburg is really for us to focus on just a few select areas for the funding utilization, to really make a big impact on those neighboring properties.”
The city typically sets aside five to thirty thousand dollars a year to revitalize properties.
