Staff
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 9:19 am

By TONY STINNETT, Courier Sports Editor

Help in the form of nearly half of a million dollars is on the way to assist Cannon County’s low-income families.

County Executive Mike Gannon has secured a HOME funding grant of $439,766 through the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) for homeowner rehab projects. The grant was the largest administered in the 14 counties of the Upper Cumberland.

“These types of grants are merit based and sometimes difficult to secure,” Gannon said. “I am very appreciative for the Home Funds and would like to thank the Tennessee Housing Development Agency on behalf of the citizens of Cannon County.”

Gannon worked with Grassroots Planning and Consulting to secure the grant.

Cannon County will use the funding to assist homeowners with home repairs. Grassroots Planning and Consulting will administer the funding for Cannon County.

Gannon said local government will provide information regarding timing and procedures for individuals who want to apply for assistance.

“Residents will benefit from the repairs conducted through this program,” said Ralph M. Perrey, THDA executive director. “We believe everyone should have a safe place to lay their head at night, and the HOME program will make that dream a reality for more (Cannon Countians).”

The federally funded HOME program promotes preservation and rehab-ilitation of housing for households of low income. It is the largest federal block grant devoted exclusively for expanding affordable housing oppor-tunities to households of low income.

Gannon said the program’s flexible guide-lines allow individual grantees to design and implement programs targeting a specific need or priority.

“This grant will allow us to assist citizens of Cannon County that are in need of help at this time,” Gannon said. “We were extremely pleased to be awarded a grant of this nature and to receive the almost half of a million dollars to assist citizens in our county.”

THDA administers the federally funded HOME program on behalf of the State of Tennessee. More than 60 percent of THDA’s HOME funding has targeted owner-occupied rehabilitation, of which half benefitted elderly residents.