LANSING – Sen. Jim Barcia (D-Bay City) is praising a $455,000 in Michigan State Housing and Development Authority (MSHDA) grants to Sanilac, Bay/Arenac, and Huron counties. The grants were generated through MSHDA's Housing Resource Fund program.

"Rehabilitating and repairing existing housing while providing for those who are temporarily homeless benefits everyone," Sen. Barcia said. "Not only will these grants provide a huge economic boost through job creation, but they will improve the quality of life across the entire region."

The three Housing Resource Fund grants will fund the following efforts:

Sanilac County - $225,000 for rehabilitation of seven owner-occupied homes; providing emergency repairs for five homes; and rehabilitation of one rental unit.

Bay County - $30,000 to the Bay Area Women's Center to continue provision of emergency shelter for homeless in Arenac County.

Huron County - $200,000 to the Huron County Board of Commissioners for rehabilitation of seven owner-occupied homes; providing emergency repairs for five homes; and rehabilitating one rental unit.

The Housing Resource Fund awards were part of 21 MSHDA grants totaling more than $3.78 million recently announced by MSHDA. The Housing Resource Fund program supports projects designed to change the housing market of existing neighborhoods by making them more livable for current residents and more attractive to new residents, and to provide affordable housing for low and moderate income households.

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