ADECA administers $800,000 CDBG grants to city, county

The City of Atmore and Escambia County have received $800,000 in Community Development Block Grants to improve public services for residents, according to Gov. Robert Bentley’s office and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).

Bentley awarded $450,000 to the city of Atmore and $350,000 to the Escambia County Commission. Atmore will use the funds to rehabilitate public sewer service, while the county will improve water service in the Freemanville Community by replacing old water lines.

“Projects funded through the Community Development Block Grant program can greatly improve the lives of rural residents,” Bentley said in a release. “I am pleased to support the local leadership in Atmore and Escambia County as they complete these projects to improve their communities.”

Atmore will repair sewer lines in the Short Street area, benefitting 238 residents. City officials said the lines have become old and dilapidated and have caused backups, which create health hazards for those living in the area. The project will install approximately 4,530 feet of new sewer pipe lining in existing pipe structures, along with 25 new service connections. The city is contributing $99,770 in matching funds.

Escambia County will replace 10,500 feet of deteriorated 3-inch water mains with larger 6-inch PVC lines in the Freemanville Community on Jack Springs Road, Freemanville Drive, Middleton Lane, Jefferson Lane and adjoining roads. The project also will install seven new fire hydrants to improve fire protection for residents. The county is contributing $35,000 in matching funds for the project.

ADECA is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Through local leadership and state partnership, ADECA’s Community Development Block Grants assist rural communities with much-needed improvements to infrastructure,” ADECA Director Jim Byard Jr. said. “This year, ADECA received 108 applications for projects that support economic and community development. We were able to award 54 projects totaling $17.5 million in investments. I am proud of the projects chosen this year, especially this project to benefit the residents of Atmore and Escambia County.”

ADECA administers an array of programs that support law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.