Mobile House Renovation, Construction Plan Revealed

AL.com reported on details of Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson’s unveiling of his plan to build or renovate 1,000 homes in the next six years. Work involves repairing more than 550 residential properties east of Interstate 65 and rehabilitating or constructing 275 rental units. “This is to grow the population of the City of Mobile and reverse the trend of challenges that go along with blight,” Stimpson explained. “If we can go back and reestablish the neighborhoods, there will be all kinds of benefits that can accrue from that.” He also released a video on the details. The city would utilize $15 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development money and, potentially, $300,000 in city funds allocated by Mobile City Council President Levon Manzie. Other funding sources would include tax credits, public-private partnerships and financing through the Alabama Housing Finance Authority. While most of the scheme involves the aforementioned work, down-payment assistance for 200 first-time homebuyers, rehabilitation of 100 blighted or abandoned properties and construction of 30 new single-family homes on properties the city controls are also on the drawing board.