The city of Covington in Kentucky is getting into the rehab business, fixing up houses near local elementary schools in hopes of improving the surrounding neighborhoods[1]. Covington received permission to use $5 million in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) monies to buy 33 foreclosed and vacant buildings and rehab them. The catch is that they all must be occupied by December of 2012. The program also is saving some historic homes that are too much of a “mess” and that “no one would take on,” said housing development specialist Dick Cazel. The projects not only improve neighborhoods, but also provide work opportunities as the homes are rehabbed, although volunteer work is also involved.
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[1] http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/939a522b84304215b9911bc5b0a5b27a/KY-Vacant-Homes/
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