Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded five grants totaling nearly $1.65 million to improve the quality of life in several south-central and east Alabama communities.
Bentley awarded Community Development Block Grants to Alexander City, Millbrook and Valley, and to Elmore and Tallapoosa counties. The funding will be used for varied projects that range from providing safe water or sewer services to rehabilitating or removing unsafe buildings.
“Community Development Block Grants help counties, cities and towns to undertake vital projects that make Alabama a better place to live,” Bentley said. “I am pleased to assist local officials who are working hard to improve the quality of life for residents.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering each of the five awards from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
ELMORE COUNTY
The Elmore County Commission will use a $350,000 grant to rehabilitate up to 49 occupied houses in the Crenshaw Village community, an unincorporated area west of Wetumpka. Four other houses, damaged by fire or years of weathering, will be razed.
Millbrook is receiving a $249,865 grant to rehabilitate the former Sandtown Community Center for use as a site for youth and senior citizen programs. The largely unused building once served as a community school and is listed on the Alabama Historic Commission’s Register of Landmarks and Heritage.
TALLAPOOSA COUNTY
With a $350,000 grant, the Tallapoosa County Commission will supply 121 residents in the Micah Hill Community with public water service. Most of the residents currently rely on private wells as their water source. The Jackson Gap Water Authority will install seven miles of water lines to provide service to the community.
Alexander City plans to use the $250,000 it is receiving to demolish 49 dilapidated and uninhabitable structures scattered throughout the community. City officials say that in addition to improving the city’s appearance, the project will eliminate health and safety hazards and will increase the property value of homes and land surrounding the properties.
CHAMBERS COUNTY
A $450,000 grant awarded to Valley will permit the city to replace deteriorating sewer lines near 16th Avenue just east of U.S. Highway 29. Replacing the old, dilapidated lines will eliminate several health threats such as sewage backing up in houses, flowing into yards and standing in roadside ditches. The project area includes about 50 households.
-30-
Contact Jim Plott or Larry Childers