Elgin grant process underway

Elgin city leaders expect slightly more money this year in federal grant funding, but the gap between what is available and what agencies have asked for is growing as well.

The city expects to receive $911,235 in Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, an increase of 8 percent over the $836,000 received last year.

But agencies are requesting $1.23 million, up from $1.15 million last year.

Unfunded projects for the coming year will chime in at about $323,000, a nearly 3 percent rise from the $314,000 in requests that went unanswered last year.

Councilman Juan Figueroa suggested the city draft some guidelines for how much groups can request.

"I don't see the benefit for so many organizations to apply because they will never get the funding," he said.

The largest request, for $625,000, comes from the city's Community Development Department for the ongoing Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program.

Other requests include: $25,000 for the city to work with Kane County on a five-year plan; $68,500 for an elevator renovation for the Housing Authority of Elgin; $247,000 for the YWCA to convert an old cafeteria kitchen into child care space; about $55,500 for the child development program for the Elgin Day Care Center; about $39,000 for a group home renovation project for the Association for Individual Development; $50,000 for the emergency shelter program for PADS of Elgin; about $99,000 for an elevator renovation for the Ecker Center for Mental Health; and $25,000 for a house rehabilitation for the Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley.

The next step is for the city staff to review each proposal to see if it meets federal guidelines. City Council members will meet Feb. 25 to discuss proposals ahead of a final vote April 8.

"Some may be eligible, some may not," said Mayor Ed Schock. "That's been the history of the program."