Fort Scott awarded $400,000 housing rehabilitation grant

Homes in the northeast portion of Fort Scott could be getting some needed improvements.

Fort Scott was one of three Kansas communities to be awarded funding for housing rehabilitation projects through the Kansas Department of Commerce.

In his letter to Mayor Bukowski, Governor Mark Parkinson said, "Congratulations! I am pleased to award the City of Fort Scott a grant for $400,000 through the Kansas Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program for its Housing Rehabilitation project."

Fort Scott City Manager Joe Turner reacted to the news saying, "I think this is a great opportunity for the city ... We are tickled to death to get it."

Fort Scott will receive the maximum amount possible, according to Fort Scott Director of Economic Development Dale Bunn. The funds will be used to help low and moderate income homeowners make improvements.

"When I put together the application we knew it was a worthy project -- it will make a difference in a section of the community that showed the greatest need and interest from the neighborhood."

The area that will be able to submit applications for rehabilitation is restricted to a six-square-block area. The boundaries are Barbee Street on the west, Caldwell Street on the east, Pine Street on the north and Wall Street on the south. Homeowners and tenants in the area will be receiving an invitation to submit applications. Out of those who show an interest, about 10 to 20 homes will be selected for rehabilitation projects.

The city applied for the same grant last year but was denied because the selected area was not in good enough shape.

"At that time we had several buildings that needed to be demolished in the same area. Those places were detrimental to the project success because if we helped out homes in the section it still would have been too blighted, so the application failed." Bunn said. "Through the recent hard work of our Codes Department to remove the structures that were past the point of repair and because the City Commissioners were aggressive in supporting the Codes Department work, we now had a project the state of Kansas felt would be truly valuable."

Bunn said an unique aspect to the city's application was the use of the Good Neighbor Blitz, which improved 42 homes in seven days last summer.

"The effort of those churches and citizens, led by Treva Williams (First Presbyterian Church Youth Minister), Reed Hartford (First Christian Church Pastor) and Julie Righter (Fort Scott Tribune Publisher), was a great story to show those here to judge our application. It made a complete circle of policy and practice represented by the City Staff in the Economic Development and Codes Departments, Commissioners, churches, volunteers and neighborhood participation." he said. "We don't believe there could be a better case made for a Kansas community showing its resolution and proof of planned performance."

Bunn said the application process for selecting the homes for rehabilitation will be announced at a later date. For more information, contact Bunn at (620) 223-0550.