The Casper Journal :: Casper's Community Newspaper

The City of Casper will have approximately $723,000 in the coming fiscal year to benefit those of low- to moderate-income and to address slum and blight.

The money comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.

The funds available from HUD for the program have been cut approximately $35,000-$40,000 from last year.

According to Robin Mundell, Casper's housing and community development coordinator, the federal government uses a fairly convoluted formula to let the City know its level of funding for each year.

The City of Casper CDBG funds are available only for projects within the city limits.

Even with the federal cuts, CDBG funds for 2008-09 will provide subsidized tickets for CATC and The Bus, rehabilitate homes, spiff up the Life Steps Campus and provide Casper with an additional code enforcement officer.

The money also will offer assistance with tipping fees to low- to moderate-income homeowners who want to clean up or demolish buildings on property or remove graffiti.

The housing assistance program is limited to low- to moderate-income homeowners, which in Casper is those who fall below an annual income for a family of four of $48,550.

This year, the money is set aside for emergency repairs financed by no interest or deferred rate loans and 21 World Changers projects.

World Changers will be in Casper with 300 volunteers from June 21-28. In the 11 years the organization has been coming to Casper, Mundell said, 351 homes have been rehabilitated with new roofs, windows, doors, paint or fences.

"It's been the best bang for the buck," for an investment of about one year's allocation of CDBG funds, according to Mundell.

For the last two years, $15,000 of materials for the program also have been provided by the Wyoming Community Development Authority (WCDA).

The city core revitalization and code enforcement funds are part of the City's Weed and Seed effort. That area roughly is bounded by the North Platte River on the north, 12th Street on the south, South Poplar Street on the west and Beverly Street on the east.

CDBG funds will pay half of the salary and benefits for an additional code enforcement officer.

The money also will be available to help with clearance, demolition, redevelopment and site preparation and professional services, such as an architect for property located in the City's lowest income census tracts.

The Life Steps Campus will be improved with security lighting and other capital improvements.

This year's CDBG Action Plan also includes a new program. Mundell said given the housing shortage, the program includes $100,000 to fund a pilot program to assist landlords of properties in Casper's central core.

Details like the terms and interest rates of what will be loans, not grants, still have to be worked out, but Mundell said the intent is to provide 50 percent match, low interest rate loans to address serious code and public safety issues in some of the city's oldest rental stock.

Any landlord will be eligible to apply for the assistance, but in exchange, he or she will agree to lease the property for the life of the loan only to those at 60 percent of the area's median income of $60,700 for a family of four.

"The private market will take care of other folks," Mundell said.

A 15-day public comment period on the proposed uses of CDBG funds will end May 9. The Casper City Council scheduled a public hearing on the proposed programs on May 6.

For information or to comment, call Mundell at 234-0014.

Proposed Uses for 2008-09 Community Development Block Grant Funds

Rider's tickets for CATC and The Bus -- $74,162

Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program -- $115,000

Life Steps Campus -- $80,556

City Core Revitalization -- $153,797

Code Enforcement -- $60,000

Rental Rehabilitation Program --$100,000

Administration -- $98,884

E-mail Carol Crump at carol.crump@casperjournal.com.

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