Whitmer Announces $21.55 Million Blight Elimination Grant Program to Revitalize Communities, Grow Economy

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September 30, 2022

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Gov. Whitmer Announces $21.55 Million Blight Elimination Grant Software to Revitalize Communities, Improve Economy

LANSING, Mich. – Nowadays, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced $21.55 million in funding for a competitive grant program to tackle vacant, deserted, and deteriorated homes across Michigan that will be administered by the Condition Land Lender Authority (SLBA). The SLBA operates to develop a beneficial economic effect on Michigan communities by facilitating successful reuse of land.

“As governor, I am focused on investing in communities throughout Michigan to make them a superior place to raise a loved ones, get started a organization, and pursue your prospective,” stated Governor Whitmer. “Michigan’s bipartisan, $75 million financial commitment in blight elimination will assistance communities throughout the state improve surrounding residence values, strengthen the health of neighborhood housing marketplaces, get rid of security dangers, and raise area tax earnings. Obtaining this done will assistance us construct safer, far more affluent communities and generate areas for new little enterprises, housing, and eco-friendly space, changing underutilized land into productive areas for the group.”

The governor’s 2023 bipartisan fiscal 12 months funds incorporated $75 million in blight elimination funds to support in the economic redevelopment of specific locations by taking away vacant, unused structures and residences. Of that financial investment, $21.55 million is now obtainable by a grant method to be used by neighborhood land financial institutions and/or municipalities.

The SLBA has opened the Request for Proposals to neighborhood land banking institutions, and to county, city, village, or township officials who do not have a nearby land financial institution.

“Removing blighted attributes is an crucial phase in stabilizing and revitalizing regional communities,” reported Emily Doerr, Government Director of the SLBA. “This funding makes it possible for us to further more our attempts towards reworking blighted structures into functional areas that will once once again lead to our economic system. We encourage land banks and communities across Michigan to investigate partnerships and recognize jobs that are suitable for this transformational grant option.”

Towns, townships, counties and land banks can use for the grant funding. Grant funds might be utilized to:

• Stabilize vacant household, industrial and industrial properties to safe them and defend from even further deterioration, with the target of preserving them for long run rehab to purposeful use
• Demolish vacant and blighted residential, business and industrial structures that simply cannot be rehabilitated and 
• Give matching or gap funding for environmental remediation on vacant land – typically a important barrier to redevelopment.

Rural counties with out land banking companies and county land financial institutions are eligible for a assured bare minimum allocation of $200,000, as very long as a finished application with suitable assignments is submitted. 

The $21.55 million in funding was requested by the Michigan Affiliation of Land Banks with the support of the Heart for Group Progress to guarantee all communities, no matter of their neighborhood land financial institution status, experienced entry to blight elimination money.

“This is an fascinating option for communities across Michigan to enhance neighborhoods,” said Anne Giroux, Michigan Association of Land Banking institutions President. “The Michigan Association of Land Banks thanks the legislature and Governor for their crucial, bipartisan assist of blight elimination endeavours. This expense in Michigan’s communities will directly increase the life of Michigan inhabitants and we appear ahead to working with the State Land Lender to set these cash to operate through Michigan.”

The Condition Land Lender Authority is effective to make a positive financial affect on Michigan communities by facilitating successful reuse of land. They work in a coordinated method to foster the improvement of residence to advertise and assist land financial institution operations at the county and local amounts.

Returning residence again to effective use is an crucial purpose in local community and financial progress. The disposition of property helps revitalize communities across Michigan by providing vacant, abandoned, foreclosed, blighted or otherwise unproductive home to an operator who wants to recycle it into successful use. This is a collaborative effort to develop a far better good quality of daily life for citizens and put home back again on the tax-roll.

To master additional about the SLBA’s endeavours to make improvements to communities throughout Michigan, and use for the grant, visit Michigan.gov/landbank.

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