Regional consortium lands $24M to clean up neighborhoods

The Cincinnati-Hamilton County NSP2 Consortium (CHCHC) has landed more than $24 million for neighborhood stabilization efforts in seven different communities throughout Hamilton County.  The awarded money is a result of a successful grant proposal put together by the consortium this past summer and is part of the second round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding. Made up of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and The Model Group; the consortium works together with the purpose of redeveloping specific neighborhoods and communities within Hamilton County. Within city of Cincinnati Avondale, East Price Hill, Evanston and the Northside neighborhoods will receive funding while Golf Manor, Lincoln Heights, and Mt. Healthy receive funding elsewhere throughout Hamilton County. Some see the use of these funds as a threat to historic properties that make Cincinnati unique, and that it could cost the region down the road. As part of the application, CHCHC has committed to not exceeding a 10 percent threshold for demolition activities, but has proposed demolition of blighted structures in all seven of the targeted areas. According to the CHCHC, the targeted communities have lower economic indicators that result in higher numbers of homes that end up vacant.  This in combination with overwhelmed local code enforcement agencies has led to homes becoming blighted that work as a destabilization factor in the neighborhoods. Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper sees the $24 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development as a great opportunity for communities throughout Hamilton County that have been hit hard during the housing crisis saying that, “this competitive grant will allow us to clean up vacant, blighted and abandoned properties in some of our hardest hit communities.” “Those funds are going to help us have a big impact on Cincinnati neighborhoods,” Mayor Mark Mallory said.  “We will be taking properties that are dragging down our communities and turn them into new housing opportunities that will strengthen our city.”Writer: Randy A. SimesStay connected by following Randy on Twitter @UrbanCincy