Map courtesy of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments.

The City of Brighton has received a $234,994 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

This comes from the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), which supports investment projects for community facilities, downtown revitalization, and single family owner-occupied housing rehabilitation. The East Central Iowa Council of Governments, or ECICOG, assisted Brighton with applying and will administer the program for the city.

ECICOG Executive Director Doug Elliott describes the housing rehabilitation grant, “The city designated a targeted area within the community of Brighton. Homes that meet the income qualifications first, and then other qualifications, will be eligible for up to $24,999 in assistance to rehabilitate their home. That’s only enough to rehabilitate six homes but that can still have a significant impact on the community.”

Prior to applying for the grant, the City of Brighton advertised to homeowners within their designated target area for preliminary applications, to which they received 11. Now that the program is funded the city will advertise for applicants, reviewed on a first-come first-serve basis. Elliott says this program will improve the quality of Brighton’s housing stock, which for a town of 659 people is one of its greatest assets, “There’s often a ripple effect when the city assists in improving these homes, often times other homes in the neighborhood through personal effort are improved as well.”

The CDBG program is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.