HeRo grants to be available to Sedalia residents

Residents in northern and eastern neighborhoods in Sedalia may get a little extra monetary help in the next few months, thanks to a grant from the Missouri Housing Development Commission.

The $88,000 HeRo grant will be used to help qualified residents remove lead paint from their homes, in addition to other projects, said City Housing Specialist Jamie Bethel.

“(Sedalia) has received this grant for a number of years and it just made sense to keep applying for it,” Bethel said. “We’re going to use the grant money mostly in the north and eastern portions of town; those are the areas with the most need.”

Bethel said the housing department decided on those areas of town for a few reasons, “In that area, there’s a lot of demolition going on and with the new Dollar General store being built soon, it makes sense to try and make those neighborhoods safe and more appealing for citizens.”

Most of the grant money will be dedicated for the removal of lead paint from the homes. According to Bethel, most homes built before 1978 have lead paint which is dangerous for families with small children. According to Environmental Protection Agency, if not detected early, high levels of lead in children can lead to damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems and slowed growth. Lead is also harmful to adults and can cause high blood pressure, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems and reproductive problems.

“If you have lead paint around small children it can be very dangerous because they can ingest it,” she said. “Lead can get into anything, including soil, so it’s important homeowners take care of the problem now. It’s also a very expensive issue to take care of, which is why we think this grant will be so helpful.”

Depending on the project, homeowners who qualify for the grant may also be able to use the money to fix other major problems, such as repairing roofs.

“There are guidelines,” Bethel said. “We can’t pay for what are considered ‘luxury items’ like a new fence or brand new carpet to match walls or anything like that. If we say, go into a home and they need $40,000 worth of repairs, we can’t do all that. But homeowners can contribute their own money in addition to grant money if they’re able.

“The most important thing is that we’re able to give help to someone who could really use it, to make their home a better place to live.”

The Housing Department will begin accepting applications beginning Feb. 15. Those interested in applying for a portion of grant money must have owned their home for the last three years, have homeowners insurance and current taxes paid. Income guidelines also apply. Applications can be found at City Hill, 200 South Osage Avenue. For more information, call 827-3000 ext. 139.