DEED awards Small Cities Development Grants

Improvements to housing stock, commercial buildings and public facilities are benefiting from grant dollars in cities across the lakes area.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded 35 grants totaling more than $19 million for rehabilitation and infrastructure projects in Greater Minnesota, including projects in Emily, Deerwood, Menahga, Onamia, Pine River, Verndale and Brainerd.

The Small Cities Development Program is part of the Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is funded by Congress. The program helps pay for rehabilitating housing and commercial buildings and updating public infrastructure in small cities and counties.

"The vitality of our communities depends upon strong infrastructure and good, affordable housing," said Gov. Mark Dayton in a news release. "These grants will help improve those essential resources in communities throughout Minnesota."

"These grants provide an important investment in Greater Minnesota communities," said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy in the release. "This funding will help to increase and improve much needed housing which leads to positive economic activity."

To be eligible for Small Cities funding, a project must meet one of three objectives: benefit people of low and moderate incomes, eliminate slum and blighted conditions, or eliminate an urgent threat to public health or safety.

Cities and townships with populations under 50,000 and counties with populations under 200,000 are eligible for grants under the program. Projects must be completed within 30 months, depending on size and scope.

Grants include:

• Brainerd, $638,338, owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation;

• Emily, $229,000, owner-occupied housing rehabilitation;

• Deerwood, $554,893, owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation;

• Menahga, $236,700, owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building rehabilitation;

• Onamia, $600,000, public facility improvements;

• Pine River, $595,000, public facility improvements; and

• Verndale, $600,000, public facility improvements.

DEED is the state's principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. Go to https://bit.ly/2zztpfA for a list of all the cities receiving grants.