CHEDA, in conjunction with Ward 4, held a special and informational meeting on Tuesday night at the Crookston Eagles Club. Homeowners, landlords, and business owners of Crookston attended and had questions answered, along with the opportunity to fill out letters of interest.
CHEDA representatives welcomed individuals and residents from Ward 4 and talked about how the EDA will be applying for the Small Cities Development Grant. These grant funds assist low/fixed-income homeowners, landlords of low-income properties, and commercial businesses with rehabbing their properties.
In addition to the Small Cities Development Grant, CHEDA encouraged area businesses to apply for the storefront revitalization program (Beautification Grant), which has been available throughout the year. This grant is designed to aid enterprises interested in external storefront improvements.
People of interests and applicants were informed at the meeting that they can apply for a maximum grant of $5,000 with a 25/75 match or a 20/80 match with a purchase or renewal of a Crookston Area Chamber Membership. CHEDA is incentivizing Crookston Chamber memberships in this grant to bring local organizations together.
Ward 4 is the area of Crookston that is being highlighted and targeted with these funds, and Ward 4 had plenty of representation on Tuesday night. Chairperson and resident of Ward 4, Sharon Lewis, shared her concerns with the current shape of the area.
“Number one, we need more roads, and we also need new curbs and gutters,” said Lewis, “We’re (Ward 4) the oldest Ward in the city, so we do need the most work. Some people in my Ward have told me they’ve lived there for fifty years, and nothing has been done.”
Lewis also explained that many of the homes in the Woods Edition could use foundation work, paint jobs, and flooring. “There are seventeen homes in our area that need rejuvenation,” said Lewis, “They need paint, some need a new foundation or a new road, and people can’t afford to do it. These homes either need to come down, or they need to be fixed.”
While much of this grant funding is intended for low-income households, Lewis believes this funding will help with revitalizing and renovating some of the deteriorating structures. This could lead to new families eventually moving in and ultimately make Ward 4 more attractive for families actively searching for new homes.
Project Coordinator Kayla Hanson and CHEDA Director Karie Kirschbaum led the meeting and presented all of the details for those who attended the meeting; they also answered questions that attendees had during the session. Kayla Hanson believed the meeting was very beneficial for everybody there.
“I think the meeting went great; you know, the point of having these face-to-face conversations is to be transparent and direct with the community,” said Hanson, “We certainly want to target the community as a whole. That is our goal. Between the city and Economic Association that we’re going to work with as these grants roll out, we’re going to push them out to each Ward as much as we can.”
For those who are interested and qualify for these funds, the grant application and letter of interest window are still open. It was announced at the meeting that CHEDA still has $50,000 in grant funding for the Revitalization Grant alone and will accept all applications up to this point. For more information, contact Kayla Hanson at 218-280-6368 or by email at khanson@crookston.mn.us
