The county received a detailed presentation from Lindsay Hammond, northeast community liaison for the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, on state-managed Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Indiana Main Street programs and owner-occupied rehabilitation opportunities.

Hammond said OCRA manages roughly $32 million a year in pass-through HUD funding for non-entitlement communities in Indiana and that 80% of OCRA’s work is water and wastewater infrastructure. She told commissioners OCRA will open a planning grant round Jan. 8, 2026, has three planning rounds starting in 2026 and two construction rounds a year. "We are a pass through. We have about $32,000,000 a year that passes through from HUD, and our job is to get that money into our small rural communities," Hammond said.

She described eligible uses (water/wastewater/stormwater projects, public facilities, historic preservation, downtown revitalization) and the owner-occupied rehabilitation (OOR) program intended to keep low- and moderate-income residents in their homes. Hammond explained that all OCRA grants are reimbursable and that counties typically procure a certified grant administrator after award; she said up to 8% of a grant award can be used for administration. "You would work with an OCRA-certified grant administrator," she said, adding that regional planning organizations often write applications and may provide free pre-award assistance.

Commissioners discussed timing, possible local projects and coordination with county departments; Hammond offered to meet with county staff to identify projects that match OCRA criteria and to help prepare applications.