Federal grants aim to ease foreclosure crunch
Post-Tribune (IN)
October 28, 2008
October 28, 2008
Gary, Hammond and Lake County will receive more than $13 million in federal funds to help revitalize communities hardest hit by mortgage foreclosures.
The funds will be used to help cities and towns buy abandoned or foreclosed homes, demolish or redevelop vacant properties and help low- and moderate-income home buyers purchase properties, officials said. Communities could be eligible for more money under a program developed by Gov. Mitch Daniels and state officials.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is distributing $64 million directly to 12 communities around the state that are hardest hit by the subprime mortgage crisis.
Gary and Hammond each received $3.8 million, and Lake County got $5.7 million.
Gary has an astronomically high 18.1 percent foreclosure rate, while Hammond is not far behind at 12.6 percent; Both communities have high local abandonment risk. Lake County's foreclosure rate is 6.3 percent, only a fraction below the 6.7 percent across the state.
In August, Indiana's foreclosure rate ranked 10th in the nation in August with one in every 522 households receiving a foreclosure filing, according to Realtytrac(R). Some 19 area homes are set to go up for auction on Thursday in Merrillville.
The state will give $45 million to local units of government to help with neighborhood redevelopment needs, and $30.4 million that will help low- and moderate-income individuals and families buy abandoned and foreclosed homes.
Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub was pleased with the money earmarked for the county.
"I think it's fabulous. We can really clean up, especially those homes that are eyesores, where nobody's been there for years and they are a haven for bad things," Scheub said. "I think it's awesome we can do that; otherwise we'd never get it done."
Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. said the goal is to help keep people in their homes.
"We're appreciative of any money that we can get," McDermott said. "It's not really within our resources as a city to fix. The problem is so big it needs federal government attention."
The state's plan will be submitted to HUD by Dec. 1, and it will be posted on the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Web site -- in.gov/ihcda -- for public comment for at least two weeks before it is submitted.
"We want communities to develop programs that will be meaningful and make a positive difference, and we will show preference to cities and towns that are not receiving a direct federal share," Daniels said in a statement.
Gary's Community Development Department is now hustling to gather information, Director Jacquelyn Drago - Hunter said, in order to have a program ready to submit to the state by Dec. 1.
"All of the jurisdictions are kind of scrambling," Drago - Hunter said. "We're still putting our ducks in the row."
Northwest Indiana's largest city will benefit particularly, she said, because it won't be limited to just the $3.8 million that's been earmarked for it.
"We can also apply for additional funds from the state," Drago - Hunter said, "which we probably will do."
Communities would submit applications to IHCDA, with priority given to those with the greatest need based on concentration of foreclosures and abandoned properties and other factors.
State grants
Anderson $2.1 million
Elkhart $2.2 million
Evansville $3.6 million
Fort Wayne $7.0 million
Gary $3.8 million
Hamilton County $2.3 million
Hammond $3.8 million
Indianapolis $29.0 million
Kokomo $2.2 million
Lake County $5.7 million
Muncie $2.8 million
South Bend $4.1 million
