HUD Funding Residential Demo

The government of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, which includes Cleveland, has received more than $1 million from the federal government to apportion out to cities to demolish abandoned houses, according to a report on the Web site of the Plain Dealer newspaper. The city of Cleveland has received additional funding from the same source.

Communities within the county have identified more than 40 homes to be demolished, according to the report, and have been quickly receiving approval and funding from the county to start work.

Cuyahoga County has received about $11 million of the $4 billion fund that Congress awarded to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of a 2008 piece of federal legislation called the Housing and Economic Recovery Act.

HUD has subsequently assigned the funds to cities and counties based on a formula (based on a formula) to mitigate the effects of foreclosures and abandoned homes, according to the Plain Dealer.

Beyond the demolition funding, cities like Cleveland and its suburbs will compete for some $2 billion in HUD stimulus money intended to help re-build neighborhoods.

According to the news report, Cuyahoga County’s demolition program has been designed to be simple, using a one-page application form for cities to complete.

Cleveland-based company Lightning Demolition and Excavating is mentioned as one regional firm that has benefited from the renewed demolition activity.