$400K Grant Great News For Brasher
BRASHER FALLS - A $400,000 Community Development Block Grant is welcome news for the town of Brasher.
Brasher Town Supervisor M. James Dawson said he is very pleased people who might not otherwise have the resources to make necessary repairs to their home will have an opportunity to have those necessary improvements made to their residences.
"Certainly in this economy this is good news for the town board. Unfortunately we probably can't do more than 10 to 12 homes with this grant." he said.
Mr. Dawson said contractors will need to address asbestos abatement and lead paint issues before making improvements to the homes selected to receive grant dollars.
"The St. Lawrence County Planning Office will be administering the grants. We don't do it ourselves," he stressed, noting that would also assist with the confidentiality issues for homeowners selected to receive the grant dollars.
"We have had some applications, nearly 40 the last I had heard, but I have not seen a list,' Mr. Dawson noted.
The St. Lawrence County Planning Office had submitted a similar application - at a cost of $2,000 - for the town of Brasher last year, but that was unsuccessful. So town officials elected to spend $250 to have planning office officials resubmit another application this year.
This year's application process was open to residents throughout the entire town. Last year's application was restricted to town residents living outside the hamlet of Brasher Falls.
County officials said they would address the homes that were in the "most severe" shape, particularly those with structural problems and major deficiencies in areas like windows, doors, plumbing, roofing, heating systems, foundations, insulation and electrical system.
Construction will likely begin in spring 2011 and must be completed within 24 months of the grant award.
Brasher is one of several north country municipalities and organizations receiving nearly $5 million in state funding to develop affordable housing, upgrade water and sewer systems and revitalize downtown areas..
The award announcements, which came earlier this week, were part of the $119 million made available statewide through state low-income housing tax credits and subsidies, the state Community Development Block Grant program and the New York Main Street program.
St. Lawrence County will receive the largest portion of funding at $1.95 million for 2010 Community Development Block Grant program awards. The county was the recipient of a $750,000 award for homeownership and three separate $400,000 awards for housing rehabilitation.
St. Lawrence County Planning Director Keith J. Zimmerman said the county's largest grant award will assist approximately 45 first-time home-buyers who may be able to afford a mortgage payment, but cannot come up with funds for a down payment.
"The county will join them in an acquisition, and have an equity stake," he said. "At the end of 10 years, if the family retains ownership of the home, they receive the benefit if we put $20,000 on the house."
Mr. Zimmerman said this is the fifth year St. Lawrence County has been awarded such a grant, which has helped put hundreds of county residents into their first home.
Another $400,000 grant will target approximately 14 housing rehabilitation projects in the town of Russell. The village of Canton will receive the same grant award.
Municipalities in Franklin County also received awards through the program, including $400,000 to the town of Westville for housing rehabilitation, $280,000 to the town of Constable for housing rehabilitation and $558,300 to the village of Malone for public water system upgrades.
Reporter Rebecca Madden contributed to this report.
