HCDC Provides Grants to Transform Brownfields to Goldfields
Daniel Ferguson,
Senior ED Specialist
ULAP grant recipient in Reading
recently was awared $2.3 million from the
Ohio JRS program
Underutilized sites in urban areas often
have not redeveloped due to
environmental concerns
The Urban Land Assistance Program (ULAP) is a brownfield redevelopment initiative administered by the Hamilton County Development Company (HCDC). The program provides financial support to local communities in Hamilton County to assess environmental conditions;and commercials sites with redevelopment potential. Ideally this funding is used as a catalyst for enticing private investment and job creation through the expansion, attraction, or retention of companies on underutilized property. The grant is also often used as seed money on projects which anticipate applying for Clean Ohio or other remediation grants through the State of Ohio or U.S. EPA.
What communities are eligible?
ULAP is currently funded by Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and therefore is available only to CDBG participating communities. Non-participating communities as of January 2007 include: Amberley Village, Deer Park, Evendale, Indian Hill, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Newtown, Symmes Township, and Terrace Park. Hamilton County also does not manage CDBG funding for the City of Cincinnati, therefore making it ineligible.
How can this funding be used?
Funding can be used in phase 1 & 2 environmental assessments and in rare instances environmental remediation including building demolition.
What projects are eligible?
Industrial, retail, and office economic development projects conducted or supported by eligible communities with an intention to revitalize suspected brownfields.
How much funding is available?
Grants typically range from $5,000 to $30,000 and are granted to the local jurisdiction. Currently the program receives roughly 3-4 requests per year and has been allocated $100,000 per year for 2006 and 2007.
What is the process?
An eligible community submits an application to the Hamilton County Development Company (HCDC). HCDC reviews the application, works with the applicant to fill in any blanks and submits it to the ULAP Advisory Committee. The applicant then makes a formal presentation to the Advisory Committee. If the Advisory Committee approves the application then HCDC creates a Memorandum of Understanding between HCDC and the community. Reimbursements of costs are then issued to the community from the Hamilton County Department of Community Development Block Grant program.
Soil testing in St. Bernard
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Site Demolition in Lockland |
What communities have received ULAP funding in the past?
City of St. Bernard, Village of Lincoln Heights, City of Reading, Village of Fairfax, Village of Lockland, City of Cincinnati, and Village of Elmwood Place.
What other grant sources are available for brownfield investigation and remediation? (click any link below to go to the site)
1. Ohio Job Ready Sites Program -
www.odod.state.oh.us/edd/obd/jrs/
2. Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund -
www.odod.state.oh.us/ud/CORF.htm
3. Clean Ohio Assistance Fund -
www.odod.state.oh.us/ud/COAF.htm
4. Ohio Industrial Site Improvement Fund - www.odod.state.oh.us/edd/obd/IndustrialSiteImprovementFund/
5. Federal EPA Brownfield Assessment Fund -
www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicat.htm
6. Federal EPA Brownfield Clean Up Fund -
www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicat.htm
7. Ohio EPA VAP Financial Assistance -
www.epa.state.oh.us/derr/vap/docs/fact5.pdf
For more information or to apply for ULAP funding please contact Daniel Ferguson by email dferguson@hcdc.com or call (513) 631-8292.
