The City of Salina has been awarded nearly  a million dollars to help refurbish several neighborhoods.

According to the City, $999,999 has been awarded through the Federal Home Loan Bank’s Affordable Housing Program. This is the City’s first time to receive a grant from this program. The award was made possible through the sponsorship of Equity Bank.

With these funds, the City will start a new Neighborhood Repair & Rehabilitation Program. The program will focus on a 10 block area and make improvements to the structural integrity and safety of 44 owner occupied homes over the next four years.

The current target area runs from Broadway to Ninth Street, and State Street to South Street. Several factors went into determining the targeted 10-block neighborhood. The target area was identified based on the criteria from the grant sources. This included: average neighborhood income, average condition of the properties, average property value compared to cost of new construction, average property age, average utility usage statistics, and public infrastructure conditions (roads and sidewalks).  The Home Rehab Grants will take the existing neighborhood and work with residents to better their homes for longevity and ensure safety.

The City will begin taking applications from qualified applicants in the spring of 2024. More information will be available online soon at: https://www.salina-ks.gov/homerehabgrants.