The City of Millsboro is applying again to the State of Delaware Community Development Block Grant Program
The Community Development Block Grant Program is a pot of monies that the state awards to municipalities offering programs that specifically benefit low-income homes.
Millsboro held a public hearing at its most recent town council meeting to invite the public into their application process, which Sussex County Community Development Rehab Specialist Joe Douglas says has seen moderate success.
“In the past five years, Millsboro has received $80,000- we’ve applied for $160,000 so we’re getting about 50%. We’ve helped five houses.” he said.
He says most often, Millsboro helps low-income homes through rehabilitation of the building or grounds.
Douglas adds there’s more resources available through Sussex County for emergency situations,
“We also have a program through the County Council that works on emergencies -no water no electricity, active roof leaks, no heat in the wintertime or no AC in the summertime, and handicap accessibility- we do all that through the County Council’” he said.
As a condition to the assistance, Douglas notes homeowners must live in the building, and they’ll have a five- or ten-year tax lien on the home following the project depending on the cost; five years for a project under $15,000 and ten years for anything over that.
Douglas says that's to protect the funding,
"It keeps someone from going out and getting the work done on the house, turning around and selling it -basically doing a flip- having the state or county pay for it, and they keep the profit" he said.
Millsboro Town Council voted to begin drafting an application to the program in a unanimous vote.
