Cook – Lake County Housing Coordinator Nancy Grabko of Community Fundraising Solutions (CFS) had good news for the Cook County-Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) at its April 13 meeting. A major piece of funding for Cook County housing rehabilitation projects lost in December 2009 had been reinstated. The housing program now has an additional $355,200 to invest in 16 housing projects.
In December 2009, Grabko brought the bad news that Cook County had been removed from the grant from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Small Cities Development Program. At that time, it was believed that concerns expressed by the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) derailed Cook County’s application. Grabko, EDA Board Chair Mike Littfin, EDA Director Matt Geretschlaeger, and County Commissioner Jim Johnson met with AEOA to answer their concerns and developed a new plan for collaboration.
At subsequent meetings, Grabko reported that progress had been made and
new “service delivery model” had been created to make working with AEOA on housing rehab projects feasible and more beneficial to Cook County. The housing coordinator now receives a 5% administration fee for work done for AEOA.
Grabko also pursued a number of other grants to fund rehab projects and at the April 13 meeting she was pleased to report that CFS had secured $130,000 to be used to complete four rehabs.
However, she was very excited to report that she had had the opportunity to talk to Reed Erickson, director of the Business and Community Development Programs division of DEED, at a recent meeting of housing representatives. When Grabko explained the new proposal for working with AEOA, Erickson agreed to reinstate the grant award for Cook County. An April 12 e-mail from Erickson to Grabko confirmed that Lake and Cook County will receive the $355,200 for rehab of 16 units.
Grabko happily reported, “So instead of doing four projects, we’ll be able to do a total of 20.”
Grabko said the news is especially good, because despite doing 22 projects to date, there are still 72 potential rehab projects on a waiting list—34 in Lake County; 38 in Cook County.
She said she would continue to seek funding for other projects, pointing to the e-mail from Erickson, which said, “I know you folks can make this work.”
Anyone interested in housing rehab services should contact Grand Marais City Hall at (218) 387-1848.
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