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Spencer City Council Approves Rental Microgrant Program

November 05, 2024 Steve Schwaller

(Spencer)– The Spencer City Council Monday evening approved a program assisting owners of rental units that sustained damage in the June flood. Interim City Manager Kevin Robinson says a significant number of rental units remain off line in the city and some will likely even be demolished. He says the goal of the assistance program is to help get those still in need of repair back online sooner rather than later…

“Staff recommendation, my recommendation is to put a $300,000 fund together for $1,500 per unit and we would request that the scope of eligibility is flooring and/or HVAC-mechanical, could be a combination of both, and it’s a 50 percent match. So $3,000 in repairs would get you the max grant of $1,500.”

Councilman Tom Nelson questioned the adequacy of that amount…

“It’s a little bit of help but it’s not much in the scope of things people are looking at.”

Landlords would have until December 31st of this year in which to apply for the program. Completed work needs to be inspected by March 31st, 2025. The program will be administered by the city’s Planning Department.

The council approved the program with four members voting in favor and three abstaining.

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