City steps up for $50K towards housing match

Grant city council members approved $50,000 in matching funds towards a grant application for an affordable housing  project in Grant during their April 13 meeting. 

The city, in cooperation in the local Community Redevelopment Authority and Southwest Nebraska Community Betterment Corporation, seeks to build two new houses in Grant. 

Amy Thelander, director of SWNCBC, said her agency will apply for a $300,000 grant from the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund. She noted her agency also pledged $20,000 in matching funds towards the project. 

In  addition, the CRA has pledged two lots that they own  for the housing sites as part of their match toward the project. 

City Superintendent Edward Dunn said the application is due later this month with an answer expected in May.

Both Dunn and Thelander said this effort could jump start affordable housing availability in Grant. 

Thelander said the plan calls for building and selling the first house. Proceeds of the sale, along with remaining grant funds, will be used to build a second house. 

Once that house sells, Thelander said the proceeds can be used as a match to apply for additional housing grant funds or used for developing market-rate housing. 

Eligibility to purchase the home will be based on family size and household income. Current income limits are 120% of area median income. 

That ranges from $62,160 for a single-person household to $117,1120 for an eight-person household. 

Thelander said their plan calls for putting manufactured homes on two lots in Grant—204 Hancock and 604 Garfield.

Dunn said the city obtained the 204 Hancock property through abatement and then granted it to the CRA. 

The CRA purchased the house at 604 Garfield for the price of the land. 

The house on Hancock was already removed as will the house on Garfield. 

Dunn said the 604 Garfield property is large enough that they plan to divide the property into two lots, using the first for this project. 

Thelander said these two locations already have the necessary infrastructure, which will reduce development costs.