DeSoto seeks input on $104,877 in county funding

by Daphne Brown of of DeSoto TODAY

DeSoto is participating in a county-wide redevelopment program for its low-income areas.

City staff encourages residents to attend a town hall meeting set for 7 p.m. April 29, at which suggestions will be compiled about how to utilize more than $104,000.

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Lora Stallings, administrative assistant to the DeSoto city manager, said the city is participating for the first time in community development block grants through the federally funded Housing and Urban Development program.

“Very recently, we were notified that DeSoto was eligible to apply for $104,877 in community development block grants,” Stallings said.

Stallings, who made a presentation to council about the funds earlier this month, said the city would have to adhere to criteria set forth by HUD, including that the project(s) must benefit 51 percent or more of DeSoto residents earning low to moderate income levels. Stallings said the city is able to identify this information through the latest census information.

According to HUD's stipulations, low-to-moderate income levels are those earning $37,250, based on the calculations. The calculations go up to $70,000 of annual income for households with up to eight people.

“We're inviting citizens to the town hall meeting to give suggestions on how they would like the money spent,” Stallings said.

The goal is to eliminate blight and/or harmful conditions and benefit low-to-moderate income persons.

“The funds must be used to benefit a neighborhood or street, for instance, with at least 51 percent of the residents are considered in the low-to-moderate income level,” she said.

Because the city is on a stringent calendar, census information was used to identify the city's low-to-moderate income areas as opposed to a house-to-house survey, which could take more time than the city has and may not yield any suggestions.

A preliminary project report is due to Dallas County by May 9, allowing time for the council to review the project(s) and approve or find other project(s). A final application must be submitted by May 30. The council is set to approve a project from citizens' suggestions at its first scheduled meeting in May.

“The council will be prepared to discuss their ideas on May 6, as well as those that were suggested during the town hall meeting,” Stallings said.

According to information from the county, the city does not have to use the whole amount it has been approved for nor does it have to be one big project.

“Each project has to be at least $30,000, but the county has suggested trying to keep it to a few projects that make a big impact,” she said.

DeSoto is among 14 cities that have signed up in Dallas County, which is responsible for allocating the funds. Cities in the program typically use grant funds for capital improvement projects such as street reconstruction, installing new water lines, replacing bridges or renovating parks.

For more information, call city administration at 972-230-9643.