The Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC) gave an update regarding the housing rehabilitation grant in Dillwyn at Wednesday’s meeting, with CRC Regional Planner Todd Fortune noting that if all goes well, the town could have a contract for the grant sometime next week. Dillwyn was announced as one of 15 localities in Virginia receiving grants, according to a news release from Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued on Sept. 15, 2017.

The Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) aid localities in Virginia to complete projects improving health care access, water and sewer infrastructure, downtown revitalization, public safety and housing rehabilitation, according to the news release.

Fortune noted that earlier in the week a community representative from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) met with him, Dillwyn Mayor Linda Paige and Town Clerk Peggy Johnson for a pre-contract compliance review.

“Basically everything we had to do pre contract was submitted to her for review,” Fortune said. “She did ask for a couple pieces of more information which I have provided.” Dillwyn’s Housing Rehabilitation Project was originally awarded a total of $176,300.

Todd Fortune, community development planner with the CRC, said the project would rehabilitate six homes on the project site, which includes Culbreth Street and parts of White, Carter, Hancock and Conner streets.

One house, Fortune said, will be torn down and rebuilt — a process called a “substantial reconstruct.” He said the house’s owner has had to live elsewhere as the home became uninhabitable. Fortune previously cited that the DHCD has approved a change in the CDBG allocation for this project, per revised budget figures sent to DHCD. The grant award amount is now $445,400, an increase from the previous $176,300. “Consequently the amount for project administration in the project budget was increased from $17,000 to $42,000,” Fortune cited in a Feb. 14 memorandum. “The town plans to use the CRC for project administration.”