By Seth Schmidt
The west side of Tracy has been selected as the primary target area for a hoped-for Small Cities housing rehabilitation program.
The City of Tracy is applying for a $577,000 Small Cities grant from the Minnesota Department of Economic Development and Employment. Income-eligible homeowners would be able to apply for Small Cities funds to make improvements to their dwellings.
Jeff Gladis, who is coordinating the Small Cities application for Tracy, unveiled the program’s target area for the Tracy City Council Monday. The roughly 36-block area is bounded by 10th St. on the northwest, Hwy. 14 on the north, Second St. on the southeast, and South St. on the southwest.
The target area, Gladis explained, was determined by data collected from a survey conducted last fall. The mailed survey showed a high percentage of income-eligible homeowners in the west Tracy neighborhood with interest in upgrading their homes. Homeowners in this area will have the first chance to apply for Small Cities funding if Tracy’s application is successful. However, a second target area — roughly bounded by Center, East Emory, Elm, Second St. East and East Morgan streets — could also be utilized if all Small Cities dollars aren’t used in the primary target area, Gladis said.
See this week’s Headlight-Herald, for more on this article.