Financial Aid for Home Repairs: Niles’ Objective for Low-Income Families

In a council meeting on Wednesday, the city of Niles announced its intention to collaborate with neighboring cities Girard, Hubbard, and Cortland to apply for funding via the state Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) program.

Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz elaborated on the plan, revealing that if granted, the CHIP funding would offer the cities a collective sum of $1.5 million, dedicated to the refurbishment of houses belonging to low to moderate-income families.

The Niles ordinance empowered Mayor Mientkiewicz to act as the city’s representative in the application process for the grant. He explained that this process will involve the submission of applications, a thorough screening of each, and a subsequent scoring system. While he admitted that not all applications would be successful, he encouraged those who might benefit from the assistance to apply. The Niles city website provides further details about the program for those interested.

The allocation of the 2023 CHIP grant will be directed towards enhancing the living conditions of low to moderate-income households by ensuring their homes are up to code. This would imply that residences requiring interior or exterior upkeep, such as new siding, or even those facing electrical issues, could be eligible for assistance from the grant funds.

Mayor Mientkiewicz also clarified that all applications would be processed via Neighborhood Development Services, which would also shoulder the responsibility of project and grant management. The mayor assured potential applicants that any inquiry made about the program would be treated with strict confidentiality and that individuals would be dealing directly with NDS.

In other council business conducted on Wednesday, council members greenlighted the park director to solicit firms for the initial design services and environmental review of the Waddell Park improvement grant project.

In 2022, Niles was granted a substantial $2.5 million federal grant, facilitated through Congressman Tim Ryan’s office, for making enhancements to Waddell Park. The approved ordinance permits the park director to issue requests for initial design services, including concept architecture and overall project administration.

According to Mayor Mientkiewicz, the park is slated to have turf laid on its baseball fields, a new splash pad, a renovated playground, and repairs to the park’s road. The ordinance passed on Wednesday allows the park board to issue requests for the design and construction of these new features, and also to conduct an environmental review.

Other decisions reached in the meeting included the authorization of an online auction for obsolete pavement millings and fill dirt on Govdeals, the approval of an application for a matching grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission for the 2024 Niles street resurfacing project, and the sanction of a change order for United Contractors Inc. for work at the Niles Senior Center. The service director was also authorized to enter into a contract with 120 Water for the second phase of the project to assist the city of Niles in complying with the Environmental Protection Agency’s copper and lead rule.