DuPage County discusses expanding ‘Clean and Lean’ neighborhood revitalization program; grant and legal steps detailed

DuPage County staff and committee members on Feb. 4 discussed the county’s neighborhood revitalization program—commonly called “Clean and Lean”—including its funding, legal processes for demolition and the possibility of expanding the program’s financing.

County staff described the program’s evolution and funding: it began in February 2016 with a $50,000 county allocation, has grown through county funds and Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) grants, and now uses roughly $300,000 in program funds in active cycles. As staff put it, “the program has gone from $50,000 to over $600,000 including grant money,” and “we've got $300,000 in our clean and lean program.” Staff emphasized that IHDA funds are state-backed and “not federally funded,” saying, “It's all local money in the state of…