MONTGOMERY — Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded about $17 million to help Alabama towns, cities and counties make improvements in their communities.
The Community Development Block Grants were awarded to 44 communities and cover a range of needs including water and sewer upgrades, street resurfacing, community centers and blight removal.
“Community Development Block Grants make a difference in Alabama communities by helping towns, cities and counties address some of their most urgent needs without stressing their regular budgets,” Gov. Ivey said. “I am pleased to award these funds for projects that will make a positive impact in communities across our great state.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the grants with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ADECA manages a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim assistance programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.
“The CDBG program is a highly competitive process during which local governments begin by examining their most crucial needs that will have a large impact on their communities and then apply for funding to address those needs,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins with Gov. Ivey in congratulating those communities that were funded, and I applaud all communities that submitted applications.”
CDBGs are awarded annually in several categories to ensure local governments of all sizes have opportunities to be awarded funds. Categories include:
Small City – populations of 3,000 and below.
Large City –– populations of 3,001 and above.
County – supporting primarily unincorporated areas.
Community Enhancement – special projects extending beyond infrastructure improvements.
Planning Fund – projects that enable governments to map out goals and long-range plans.
Large City and County awards have a $500,000 limit while the funding cap for Small City and Community Enhancement is $400,00. Planning grants are normally limited to no more than $40,000.
Grants awarded by category and geographically from north to south are:
Small City
New Hope (Madison County) – $400,000
The city of New Hope will use CDBG funds to address several sewer infrastructure deficiencies along Lemley Circle, Main Drive, Madison Avenue and Pine Street.
Leighton (Colbert County) – $371,651
Leighton will use funds for the resurfacing of Nora Morgan Street, Lee Street and Meadow Street.
Allgood (Blount County) – $400,000
The town of Allgood plans to repair and resurface streets in the Bolle Mobile Home Park. The project will also include patching and leveling.
Carbon Hill (Walker County) – $400,000
The city will replace two water mains with more durable pipes, which will enable the water system to operate at maximum capacity and increase water pressure.
Sumiton (Walker County) – $400,000
The city will use funds to improve streets, sewer lines and drainage in the midtown area, north of Main Street.
Fruithurst (Cleburne County) – $398,700
The town plans drainage improvements, including installing and improving culverts and ditches, on First Avenue, Fourth Avenue, First Street West, Third Street West, Fourth Street West, Fifth Street West, North East Avenue and School Street.
Thorsby (Chilton County) – $400,000
The town will use funds for water, sewer and street improvements along numerous streets. Those improvements include replacing water lines, repairing manholes to improve sewer disposal and resurfacing some streets.
Hayneville (Lowndes County) – $400,000
Hayneville will use funds to improve its water system, including installing isolation valves to prevent water loss.
Butler (Choctaw County) – $400,000
The town will use funds for sewer rehabilitation in the Riderwood Drive area. The project will include replacing old sewer lines.
Pine Hill (Wilcox County) – $400,000
The town of Pine Hill will use funds to improve its water system through repairs to the water tank on Alabama Highway 5 and rerouting lines from the tank to the main water line.
Fulton (Clarke County) – $400,000
The town of Fulton plans to use funds to improve the water system including replacing filters and upgrading piping at the town well.
Louisville (Barbour County) – $393,900
The town of Louisville will use CDBG funds for a housing rehabilitation project along with demolition and clearance of unsafe structures. The project will involve the replacement, repair and upgrade of houses owned by low-income individuals who will pay a portion of the renovation of their houses.
McKenzie (Butler County) – $400,000
McKenzie will use funds to upgrade its water system including upgrading lines, electrical components and constructing a well house.
Hartford (Geneva County) – $400,000
Hartford will use funds to implement a housing rehabilitation program that enables low and moderate-income families in a targeted area to upgrade their homes through a private and public fund investment.
Cottonwood (Houston County) – $400,000
The town of Cottonwood will use funds to make sewer improvements that involve the rehabilitation of sewer lines and manholes as part of a multi-phased project to improve the town’s sewer system.
Large City
Moulton (Lawrence County) – $500,000
The city will use funds to make sewer improvements south of downtown.
Cullman (Cullman County) – $500,000
The city of Cullman will use funds to improve water and sewer services and street repairs in the Logan Street neighborhood area.
Winfield (Marion County) – $455,210
The city of Winfield plans to resurface several streets in the Westwood Heights community.
Prattville (Autauga County) – $500,000
The city of Prattville will improve sewer service and resurface multiple streets in the College Heights neighborhood.
Wetumpka (Elmore County) – $500,000
Wetumpka will use funds to replace or rehabilitate sewer lines and manholes in the Mill Village area including North Alabama Street, North Broad Street, Northwest Main Street, North Street and Cross Street.
Tallassee (Elmore County/Tallapoosa County) – $435,000
The city of Tallassee plans to improve city water service by replacing old water lines in the Riverside Heights subdivision and Carr Circle and Carr and Clair streets.
Jackson (Clarke County) – $315,000
The city of Jackson plans to improve Warren Street and install curbing and gutters with stormwater inlets to improve drainage.
Ozark (Dale County) – $441,171
The city will use funds to resurface at least parts of more than a dozen streets which have repeatedly been patched yet remain in a condition where they can endanger people and damage vehicles.
Elba (Coffee County) – $464,500
Elba will use funds to replace water mains and install fire hydrants along Reddoch Hill Road, Brunson Circle, Brunson Street and Dr. Roberts Drive.
Atmore (Escambia County) – $500,000
The city will use funds to improve drainage in the areas of Wilson Avenue, Ridgeley Street, Colonel Farris Drive and Short Street.
County
Lawrence County – $185,110
Lawrence County will use funds to resurface County Road 407 in the Red Bank community.
Winston County – $274,252
Winston County will focus CDBG funds on resurfacing and widening parts of six roads and improving drainage along those roads.
Greene County – $500,000
The Greene County Commission will use funds to resurface 3.1 miles of roads. Those roads are County Roads 74 and 107, Emerald Lane, Baron Road and Cooke Road.
Dallas County – $500,000
The county will improve water service in an unincorporated area of Selma at the former Craig Air Force Base by replacing an old and brittle water line that frequently breaks. Roads will be repaired in line-replacement areas.
Conecuh County – $500,000
Conecuh County will use funds for public water system improvements in the communities of Bookers Mill, Lyeffion, Bowles and China in the northwestern part of the county.
Washington County – $500,000
Washington County will resurface Peavey’s Landing Road in the Frankville community.
Community Enhancement
Paint Rock (Jackson County) – $400,000
The town of Paint Rock will provide various street improvements along Alred, Williamson and Knolton streets to address safety hazards.
Triana (Madison County) – $400,000
The town of Triana plans to renovate the “Stone Shed” in Flamingo Park.
Tuscumbia (Colbert County) – $400,000
Tuscumbia will use funds to construct a senior-citizen center in Keller Medical Park.
Glen Allen (Fayette County) – $400,000
The town of Glen Allen will use funds to upgrade the water system. The upgrades will help correct poor water pressure, frequent water outages and eliminate any contamination.
Lincoln (Talladega County) – $400,000
Lincoln will use funds to demolish and remove debris from dilapidated houses in various neighborhoods and an abandoned motel.
Union (Greene County) – $398,541
The town plans to construct a 40-by-50-foot building to be used as a town community center. The center will be built on town-owned land behind the town hall.
Boligee (Greene County) – $400,000
The town of Boligee will use funds to construct a new playground, shade shelter and walking trail at Boligee Community Park.
Clanton (Chilton County) – $400,000
The city of Clanton will use funds to demolish an estimated 40 dilapidated structures and clear the debris throughout the city.
Troy (Pike County) – $400,000
The city of Troy plans to build a community center at Knox Street Park. The 4,927-square-foot building will provide recreational and other opportunities.
Lisman (Choctaw County) – $400,000
The town of Lisman plans to use funds to convert the cafeteria at the former Lisman Junior High School into a community center
Slocomb (Geneva County) – $185,000
The city is proposing to demolish 10 to 12 dilapidated structures as part of an effort to eliminate slums and blight.
Planning Fund
Wadley (Randolph County) – $40,000
The town of Wadley intends to use a planning grant to update its comprehensive town plan, which was completed in 2012.
Union Springs (Bullock County) – $40,000
The city of Union Springs will develop a new comprehensive city plan and update current zoning ordinances.
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