Nancy Grabko
Jim Hall, treasurer of the Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA), has been appointed chair of the Northeastern Minnesota HOME Consortium. Cook- Lake County Housing Coordinator Nancy Grabko gave a report to the EDA board at its April 13, 2010 meeting, announcing the important appointment.
Grabko said she has been appointed as vicechair of the multi-county organization. “So Cook County is quite well represented,” she said.
The HOME program is a five-county consortium of Lake, Cook, Koochiching, Itasca and St. Louis counties. The consortium is composed of 10 members — one county commissioner and one housing related individual from each county. St. Louis County administers the program and provides staff support to the committee, which meets twice each year.
According to the HOME program guidelines, the committee meets to “gain a better understanding of the housing needs in the consortium” and to “develop appropriate strategies to address those needs.”
Jim Hall
The HOME Consortium is also a source of funding for housing projects and in March, Grabko was notified of a grant of $66,621 from HOME. The money is earmarked for owner-occupied rehabilitation projects in Cook County. Grabko said the funding could be used toward the current waiting list of 38 potential housing rehab projects.
EDA board member Bruce Martinson asked if the money must be spent in Grand Marais or throughout the county. Grabko said since a number of projects had been completed in the city of Grand Marais, the housing program would now focus on homes outside of the city. “We hope to have at least half of our new projects outside of Grand Marais,” said Grabko.
The EDA board complimented Grabko and Hall on the HOME Consortium appointment. Grabko said, “Brick by brick, we’re building a program.”
Anyone interested in housing rehab services should contact Grand Marais City Hall at (218) 387-1848.
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