Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Enterprise Florida Inc. have awarded multiple grants totaling more than $30 million to improve infrastructure, community redevelopment and job creation in small and rural Florida communities, according to the governor's website.
Twenty-nine million dollars of the grant money was awarded through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, $1.2 million through the Community Planning Technical Assistance grant program, $280,000 through the Competitive Florida Partnership grant program and $198,500 through the Rural Expansion Toolkit initiative.
Here's how the majority of the funding breaks down in our coverage area:
Among the $29 Million Disbursed Through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant:
- City of Alachua ($700,000) – to repave several streets in low-income areas of the city that have become extremely worn and are in critical need of repair.
- Columbia County ($750,000) – to rehabilitate or demolish and replace substandard or deteriorated housing for a minimum of 11 low- and moderate-income households. Temporary relocation assistance will be provided during the rehabilitation.
- Town of Inglis ($650,000) – to replace roofs of three municipal buildings used by town residents, and to repair and overlay several existing asphalt roads throughout town.
- City of Lake Butler ($700,000) – to replace the sanitary sewer lift stations in two low- and moderate-income service areas to prevent possible failure.
- City of Lake City ($750,000) – to revitalize the downtown commercial district by constructing a fountain in Lake Desoto, and to provide new fencing and landscaping with irrigation in Wilson Park.
- Town of Worthington Springs ($600,000) – to make community improvements including paving a vacant lot next to the community center/emergency shelter, making asphalt roadway spot improvements, resurfacing streets, making drainage improvements and reconstructing streets.
Among the $1.2 Million Disbursed Through the Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant Program:
- City of Dunnellon ($37,500) – to implement priority action items identified in the city’s Historic District Enhancement Plan (HDEP).
- City of High Springs ($45,000) – to prepare a Downtown Parking and Stormwater Improvement Plan.
- Marion County Board of County Commissioners ($48,000) – to implement a Housing Strategy and Solution project and develop a Guided Growth Plan for housing.
You can find a full list of areas receiving funding throughout the state and further detail on the issue by visiting the Governor'swebsite.