New Albany submits request for razing buildings, neighborhood stabilization

June 24, 2009 10:57 am

— The City of New Albany requested the release of nearly $1.5 million in Community Development Block Grant funds from the federal government last week.
If awarded, the city will use the money toward removing dilapidated housing, rehabbing neighborhoods and property acquisition.
Carl Malysz, deputy mayor and director of community development for the city, expects New Albany will get the go ahead from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees the CDBG program.
But he added that “you can’t guarantee it.”
Each year, New Albany prepares a CDBG plan and submits it to HUD for approval. The funding is aimed to benefit low-to-moderate-income areas of a city or county.
Among the items, the latest request by the city would provide $75,000 for removing dilapidated housing, $600,000 for Charlestown Road improvements and more than $300,000 for neighborhood stabilization efforts.