Raeford council approves state-requested revision to CDBG housing rehab grant

The Raeford City Council on March 1 unanimously approved a state-requested revision to the scope of the city’s Community Development Block Grant–Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) housing rehabilitation project.

City Manager Dennis Baxley told the council the city originally applied to the North Carolina Department of Commerce for $750,000 to rehabilitate 26 qualifying homes in the Robbins Heights neighborhood and to acquire a tract of land adjacent to Robbins Heights Park to create additional parking. The project was reduced to 12 homes last year. At the State’s request, the council removed the planned acquisition of the property adjacent to Robbins Heights Park and related park improvements because of soil contamination at the Robbins Heights Convenience Store.

The council first opened a public hearing on the revision and received no public comment. Councilwoman Mary Neil King moved to open the hearing; Councilman Charles Allen seconded. After the discussion the hearing was closed by motion of Councilman John Jordan, seconded by Councilman Robert L. Conoly. Councilman Charles Allen then moved and Councilman Robert L. Conoly seconded approval of the revised grant scope; the motion carried unanimously.

Baxley said the city hopes that funds remaining after the housing rehabilitation phase may allow the State to revisit acquisition of the store property at a later date. The council did not set any additional local matching requirements or alter the list of homes included in the rehab phase during the meeting.

The approval amends the local scope to comply with State environmental standards and removes the land-acquisition and park-improvement components from the active project. No further local action was recorded at the meeting; staff will proceed with the revised scope in coordination with the Department of Commerce.