Another grant writer pitched his services to the McComb city board Tuesday to secure funds for home rehabilitation in the city.
George Smith of Smith and Smith grant writing service, a family-owned business based in Gretna, La., pitched the board on applying for $750,000 through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas and a local affiliate bank to renovate up to 111 homes.
Smith said the award would include administrative funding that can be used to hire a rehabilitation coordinator to track the process of renovating each house added to the program and the money spent on each; and an empowerment specialist to help homeowners learn to manage money or better keep up with maintenance and repairs.
Smith said the city identified census tract 9504 as a target area to include in the grant application, based on the diversity of homes and income levels in the area.
The funding should target low-income homeowners, and 20 percent of the funding would have to be used in tract 9504, which is largely west of the railroad tracks, north of Michigan and Delaware avenues, and south and west of Mississippi and Northwest streets.
Smith said his company would get $45,000, or 6 percent of the grant amount, if the full $750,000 were to be awarded. His fee schedule showed that the company would expect up to 17 percent of the grant amount for smaller awards.
Selectmen agreed to put the matter on the agenda for the next work session for further discussion.
