VW County, city receive CHIP funding

Van Wert independent

COLUMBUS — Van Wert County and the City of Van Wert received $1 million total in Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) grant money, while Paulding County was awarded $500,000 and Putnam County received a grant of $544,000 in the latest round of CHIP awards. A grant of $500,000 was also received by Mercer County.

The Ohio Department of Development approved more than $34.6 million through the program. The grants will benefit 71 eligible Ohio communities that are interested in undertaking housing-related activities, including necessary infrastructure improvements. The Department’s Office of Housing and Community Partnerships administers the program.

The grants are awarded competitively and encourage a flexible, community-wide approach to the improvement and provision of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income persons, and help develop local administrative capacity.

“The investments being made today will have a lasting impact on Ohio communities by improving the look of blighted homes and residents’ living conditions,” said Christiane Schmenk, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “These grants support vital housing repairs and improvements, improving entire neighborhoods.”