Politics & Government

Council to Vote on Facade Grants Next Week

Hyattsville's City Council to vote next week on $91,000 in grant awards to improve commercial facades.

The Hyattsvlle City Council will vote next week on awarding a total of roughly $91,300 to six businesses as part of a new commercial facade improvement grant program.

The program began in August 2011 when the Hyattsville City Council approved the to award commercial renovation matching grants of up to $45,000 per building

The grants under consideration are: 

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  • $12,241 to Big Bad Woof at 5501 Baltimore Avenue for the production and installation of exterior awning signs. 
  • $15,000 to Short Cakes Bakery for exterior lighting, signage paint and awnings. 
  • $6,796 to for LED light fixtures, exterior window paint and replacements for wood window frames. 
  • $37,968 to property at 1521 Baltimore Avenue for window replacement and exterior lighting for a mural. 

Funds for the grant program come from a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant administered by the city of Hyattsville. 

The grants can be used to pay for design, materials, labor and permitting fees to construct physical improvements to commercial structures. The grant money may not be used for interior renovations or roof work. 

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Pennye Jones-Napier, co-owner of Big Bad Woof, expressed her gratitude to the City Council for their participation in the commercial facade improvement grant program. 

"Having administered a similar program in the city of Takoma Park, it is critical, for not only new construction, but also existing structures to be able to find money to do improvements to our buildings," said Jones-Napier to the City Council during the public comment section of Monday's special session. "For you all to be able to give us this type of gift in the form of a matched grant is very appreciated and heartfelt."

Applicants who receive facade improvement grant money are required to select a contractor chosen by the city officials and signed to a three-way contract between the contractor, the city of Hyattsville and the property or business owner. 

"This program structure will ensure that the city is able to administer the CDBG funding consistent with HUD reporting and administrative guidelines, while not burdening the grantee with reporting and programmatic requirements which they are likely to be unfamiliar with," reads a memo to City Council from Jim Chandler, director of Hyattsville's office of Community and Economic Development. 

The next application cycle for facade improvement grants will likely begin in April 2012 with a July 2012 due date.

The city's Facade Improvement Grant Review Committee denied a grant recommendation to one applicant, on the grounds that their application sought funds for sidewalk repair, ineligible under the terms of the program. 


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