New grant program helping Sesser rehabilitate homes

New grant program helping Sesser rehabilitate homes

SESSER, Ill. (WSIL) — A grant-funded program announced by the Pritzker Administration mandates thirteen Illinois communities will receive housing rehabilitation grants.  

RELATED: 13 communities receive housing rehabilitation grants in Illinois

News 3 spoke with the Mayor of Sesser and a family who is getting help from the program, and the family who is getting the help is extremely happy to receive it.

“We filled out a paper and he asked us what we needed to do and said, why don’t we put you down for a full house,” said Patti Utley, a recipient of the program.

Sesser Mayor Jason Ashmore said that’s exactly what the 2020 Community Development Block Grant for housing rehabilitation program was created to do, help low-income and senior residents.

“It approximately gives us anywhere from usually 10 homes per grant.  So probably about from 35 homes to forty,” said Mayor Ashmore. 

“I can’t believe it’s happening.  We’ve needed this for so long.  Help has come along and they are getting it done for us,” said Utley.

The Utley’s are getting up to $30,000 to repair their home. Contractors are coming in as early as Wednesday to begin working on siding and the roof.

“This is one of the ways for us to bring back the federal tax dollars that we pay, bring it back, and then invest that taxpayer money back into our community,” said Mayor Ashmore.

Mayor Ashmore said his community is receiving $500,000 for the home repairs. The Utley’s said they were told it would take about three weeks before the repairs are complete.

“It’s worth the wait because they say it would take a while because of the time it takes to get some of the items and the windows and such.  It’ll be worth the wait, but I can’t wait to see it,” said Utley.

Published at Wed, 10 Mar 2021 15:34:40 +0000