Perham recently recieved $912,500 in grant funding for owner-occupied housing and commercial rehabilitation. The city collected the funding through Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) grants offered by Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

More than $19 million was awarded to 32 cities. Perham recieved its grant funding in the second round.

SCDP grants are part of the Community Development Block Grant Program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grants are administered by DEED’s Small Cities Development Program Unit. The SCDP grants pay for rehabilitating housing and commercial buildings and updating public infrastructure in small cities and counties. 

“As Minnesota’s economy recovers from COVID-19, these grants help small communities in Greater Minnesota make critical improvements to their housing and public infrastructure,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “These are important investments in cities and towns across the state to help them thrive and grow.” 

Cities and townships with populations under 50,000 and counties with populations under 200,000 can apply for SCDP grants. Eligible projects must meet one of three objectives: benefit people of low and moderate incomes; eliminate slum and blighted conditions; or eliminate an urgent threat to public health or safety. 

Projects must be completed within 30 months. Extensions due to extenuating circumstances must be requested four months in advance. 

The awards announced today represent both rounds of SCDP grants to be announced in 2021. The first round – awarded May 24 – was for $6,140,360 in awards to 10 communities and include public facility improvement projects and a combination of community center and owner-occupied housing projects. The second round is for $12,914,290 for owner occupied, rental and commercial rehabilitation projects.