The City of Galesburg was awarded $562,000 through the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Strong Communities Program to support community revitalization efforts. The grant provides funds for the acquisition, maintenance, rehabilitation and demolition of abandoned residential properties. Galesburg received $175,000 from the first round of the grant program and allowed the City of Galesburg to demolish 12 dilapidated homes. With the funding received in the second round, the City intends to continue efforts to improve living conditions and quality of life in Galesburg neighborhoods, by addressing abandoned, blighted properties through abatement or demolition.
“We are extremely thankful for the assistance provided by the Illinois Housing Development Authority,” said Steve Gugliotta, Director of Community Development. “This funding provides the city an avenue for removing blight and revitalizing our residential neighborhoods.”
Housing revitalization was identified as a significant need and priority for the City of Galesburg in 2019. Since that time, city staff have been strategically working toward remediation of blighted housing conditions through a multifaceted approach, which includes enforcing property maintenance codes, repairing homes through grant opportunities, and demolishing and removing dilapidated structures. An interactive map on the city’s website illustrates the progress made towards housing revitalization since 2019, which includes removal of 51 dilapidated structures, lead remediation of 68 homes through a HUD grant, and repair of 56 homes through grants from DCEO, IHDA, and the City of Galesburg Local Housing Repair Grant.
Funds from the most recent grant award from the IHDA Strong Communities Grant Program will be used to further the goal of housing revitalization by addressing abandoned properties in the community through acquisition, nuisance abatement, and demolition. Investing in demolitions removes annual costs of abatement, creates neighborhoods that are more enjoyable for residents, stabilizes property values, removes opportunities for criminal activity, and opens the door for new growth and investment in our community.
“At the end of the day, revitalizing our residential neighborhoods has a significant positive impact on our citizens,” said Gugliotta. “We are happy to be able to remove major sources of blight, such as abandoned properties, so citizens can once again take pride in and care for their neighborhoods.”
