July 14, 2022 (COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today awarded over $42.1 million in grant funding to help communities in nearly every Ohio county turn blighted properties into new opportunities that attract investment, business, and jobs.

Eighty-seven counties will receive up to $500,000 in grants as part of the first phase of the Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, which funds the demolition of dilapidated commercial and residential buildings and the revitalization of surrounding properties. Both Mercer and Auglaize Counties received $500,000 grants. Other Stateline area counties receings grants, included Darke County with $471,000, Shelby $500,000 and Van Wert with a $500,000 grant.

In Mercer County the Commissioners determined that $50,000 will be used for general administration and $62,000 for pre-demolition expenses, leaving $388,000 for building demolition and site restoration.

Governor DeWine

“There are vacant, decaying buildings all over the state that are nothing but eyesores, and it’s time for these structures to go. By investing to tear down these dangerous properties, we’re not only helping to transform the landscape of our communities, but we’re also clearing the way for redevelopment, more jobs, and new opportunities for Ohio residents.”

In total, approximately $150 million in grants will be awarded for demolition and revitalization projects across the state in coming months. As part of the program’s initial round of funding, $500,000 was set aside for all of Ohio’s 88 counties through June 30, 2022. The awards announced today represent the total amount requested by each county up to its $500,000 set-aside. The program’s remaining funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to counties that applied for funding in excess of $500,000.

Lt. Governor Jon Husted

“These investments lead to revitalization at its finest. It takes blighted properties that are a scar on the landscape of a community and turns them into parks, housing or thriving businesses.”

The Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program was created with the support of the Ohio General Assembly, which funded the program as part of the state biennium budget bill, House Bill 110. The program, which is administered by the Ohio Department of Development, is also part of the DeWine-Husted Administration’s strategic efforts to invest in Ohio’s future.

Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development

“With access to this funding communities can start on their projects and begin making room for future growth. Clearing blight and dilapidated structures helps pave the way for future economic development.”

The Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program is part of Governor DeWine’s Ohio BUILDS Initiative, which focuses on supporting targeted solutions that impact quality of life, such as water infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion, brownfield redevelopment, the demolition of blighted buildings, and more. For more information on the new Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, visit Development.Ohio.Gov/Demolition.

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