Grants awarded to improve 21 South Carolina communities

S.C. Department of Commerce awards $7.6 million in Community Development Block Grant funds

More than 20 communities across South Carolina are slated to benefit from public improvement projects supported by more than $7.6 million in funds from the latest round of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. The S.C. Department of Commerce (S.C. Commerce) is awarding CDBG funds to these communities, representing more than 34,720 residents, for the following projects:

• Town of Allendale – Razor Road Area Demolition – $181,390
• Allendale County – Village Inn Demolition – $126,534
• City of Bennettsville – Shady Rest Neighborhood Demolition – $435,710
• Town of Bluffton – Goethe/Shults Neighborhood Revitalization – $500,000
• Town of Cheraw – Front Street Neighborhood Clearance – $155,000
• Chester County – DSS/DHHS Building Renovation – $500,000
• City of Clemson – Littlejohn Community Center Renovation – $500,000
• Colleton County – High School Football Stadium Demolition – $500,000
• City of Dillon – Pine Street Neighborhood Revitalization – $490,050
• Town of Eastover – Eastover School Demolition – $267,158
• Town of Estill – Morrison Avenue Neighborhood Demolition – $149,630
• City of Greenwood – Community Center Demolition – $249,404
• Hampton County – Early Branch and Varnville Demolition – $282,915
• City of Hanahan – Charleston Farms Neighborhood Revitalization III – $500,000
• Jasper County – Marsh Cove Fire Substation – $500,000
• Lancaster County – Brooklyn Neighborhood Demolition – $400,600
• City of Lancaster – Neighborhood Demolition – $500,000
• City of Manning – Dickson/Durant Neighborhood Demolition – $308,880
• Town of Ridge Spring – Main Street/Town Square Improvements – $500,000
• Sumter County – Shannontown Demolition – $283,983
• Williamsburg County – Hospital Demolition – $285,197

“In South Carolina, we work hard to ensure that economic development touches every corner of our state, and the CDBG program is an important tool in our arsenal for overall improvement,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “To further attract investments to our communities, we need to preserve the remarkable quality of life that exists throughout our state, and these public projects are critical to doing just that.”

S.C. Commerce awards CDBG funds in the fall and the spring of each year. Selected through a statewide competitive process, local governments receiving CDBG funds are required to provide at least a 10 percent match in funding to complete the projects. Grant funds are allocated on an annual basis to South Carolina from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and S.C. Commerce administers the CDBG program on the state’s behalf. CDBG assists communities in providing housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities.

All grants awarded through the CDBG program must meet at least one of three objectives:

• Benefit low-to moderate-income persons.
• Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blighting conditions.
• Meet other urgent community needs where existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to public health and welfare and where other financial resources are not readily available to meet such needs.

For additional information on South Carolina’s CDBG program, including application guidelines and frequently asked questions, please visit www.cdbgsc.com.