Peoria City Council approves adding real-estate to the city’s southside

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Some residents on the southside of Peoria will soon have some new real estate.

Tuesday night, Peoria City Council unanimously approved two grants to be given to Habitat For Humanity of the Greater Peoria Area.

What the non-profit says Lea Anne Schmidgall the executive director of Habitat For Humanity Greater Peoria Area said she is happy to move forward with the project, saying it's long overdue.

"That's a vote for a very positive project that is really should have been done years ago," she said. "But now we're getting to do it and it's going to be a great thing for the area."

Habitat wants to build 12 houses across a three-phase plan.

The grants The first grant is money designated for Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) plans.

The CHDO grant totals $445,000, which was set aside from 2021 through 2024.

A $500,000 Community Project Funding grant would also be given to Habitat if the project is approved.

In a report by the city, the development would address a "need for new, quality, affordable housing in Peoria."

What the city says Joe Dulin, director of community development for the city, revels in the investment the housing would bring to the southside.

"You're talking adding one hundred and fifty, two hundred new people, to 61605 and just kind of continue to build on that momentum to get more people living in that area to really then try to attract more business as well," he said.

He spoke positively of the project, noting the exceptional partnership of Habitat and the city.

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