SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board announced the approval of $19 million to support affordable housing and community revitalization efforts across Illinois and a number of those awards are coming to our listening area.

Awarded under the Strong Communities Program (SCP), the initiative will provide funding to 68 units of local governments and land bank authorities for the acquisition, maintenance, rehabilitation, and demolition of abandoned residential properties in their communities.

The program is designed to support local revitalization efforts and attract further investment in communities that may lack the resources needed to tackle vacant, abandoned and deteriorated properties.

In our listening area, the City of Benton will get $45,000, the City of Carbondale is receiving $484,000, the City of Sesser is receiving $50,000, the City of Vienna is getting $75,000, the City of Carmi will receive $120,000, the Village of Carrier Mills will see $75,000, the Village of Dongola will get $120,000, the Village of East Cape Girardeau will receive $60,000, and the Village of Pulaski will see $75,000.