Small Cities Development Program Update

The UMVRDC continues to work with the Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) to bring rehabilitation funding to our region.
The City of Appleton’s Small Cities Development Commercial and Owner Rehabilitation grant was closed as of December 31, 2012. The grant provided for the rehabilitation of sixteen homeowner properties and thirteen commercial properties.
In November, UMVRDC staff submitted pre-applications to SCDP for three of our communities: Benson, Ortonville and Granite Falls. This pre-application is the first step to becoming eligible to submit a full SCDP application.
The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) reviewed the pre-applications and determined that the Granite Falls pre-application was not competitive; the Ortonville pre-application was marginally competitive; and the Benson pre-application was competitive. UMVRDC staff shared this information with the three cities, and together determined how to proceed. It was decided that both Ortonville and Benson will move forward with full applications. Granite Falls will put their application on hold and do another pre-appliaction in the future.
The full applications for Benson and Ortonville are due February of 2013. Benson’s application includes owner-occupied and rental property rehabilitation. Ortonville is working on owner-occupied and commercial property rehabilitation. Public hearings will be scheduled in both cities for February to present applications components and receive public feedback.
For more information on SCDP, visit this link here on our website
or contact one of our Senior Planners:
Jacki Anderson at 320-289-1981 ext. 2 or Kristi Fernholz at 320-289-1981 ext. 6.