Politics & Government

Meeting Minutes: Pleas Made for Community Block Grants

Macomb Township will allocate some $60,000 in Community Development Block Grants to assist local charities, seniors and low-income residents.

The primary topic of Wednesday’s board of trustees meeting was the allocation of the township’s 2011 Community Development Block Grant funds.

Allocated by the federal government, CDBG funds–$66,500 for Macomb–can only be used for projects that support low- to moderate-income persons or seniors.

The board will allocate the funds at its Feb. 23 meeting.

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CDBG Public Service Requests

Macomb Township received $38,615 in public service requests from 11 nonprofit and charitable organizations within the township and county. However, the township can only allocate a maximum of $5,925 in public service funds.

Find out what's happening in Macomb Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Representatives of the Samaritan House, Macomb County Care House, Care, St. Vincent de Paul and the Macomb County Warming Center were present at the meeting to plead the need of their specific organization to receive funding.

Organizations requesting CDBG public service funding are:

  • Care, student assistance, $600
  • Care House, child advocacy, $2,000
  • Community Housing Network, homeless prevention, $2,000
  • Hope Center in Macomb, food pantry and emergency assistance, $2,000
  • Macomb Community Warming Center, shelter and emergency assistance, $3,000
  • Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team (MCREST), $1,500
  • Samaritan House, emergency assistance, $5,000
  • Society of St. Vincent de Paul, emergency assistance, $10,000
  • Solid Ground, homeless services, $4,515
  • Turning Point, domestic violence prevention, $3,000
  • Macomb Township Parks and Recreation, senior citizen programs, $5,000

CDBG Brick and Mortar Requests

The board will also consider a program for Macomb Township homeowner assistance. The program would be administered through the county using about $28,000 of the brick and mortar construction funds.

Interested individuals must be income eligible and the funds must be used as a down payment for a home in Macomb Township. This $7,500 loan would be deferred until the sale and the loan forgiven if the buyer satisfies all requirements for five years after the sale.

There is a second consideration for $28,000 for Macomb Township’s emergency rehabilitation program, which is also administered through the county. Loans for emergency repairs up to $8,000 would be available to income-eligible Macomb Township homeowners. These loans would also be deferred until the sale.

There is a maximum of $56,525 brick and mortar funds available for allocation.

CDBG Planning Activities Request

Macomb County Continuum of Care requested $1,290 from the planning activity funds, of which $11,305 maximum is available for allocation.

Public Hearing for Buckingham Village Retention Basin Issue

A public hearing has been scheduled for March 9 to allow discussion of the costs and issues associated with the retention basin.

Winter Taxes Due Feb. 14

Residents wishing to avoid a 1 percent late fee must pay their winter taxes by Feb. 14.


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