Officials in Lake City are searching for contractors to begin housing renovations before they reach the deadline on a $225, 000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The city received the award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2016 to make improvements to eligible residences. City Administrator, Eric Wood, says the problem is with finding contractors and not the lack of projects.
The city put the projects out to bid multiple times but did not receive responses on those requests. Wood says many contractors are just unwilling to take on the extra regulations from the federal government when other options are readily available.
The city council requested aid from MIDAS, the Fort Dodge Regional Council of Governments, to help secure contractors. Wood says time is of the essence as they only have 18 months before the grant expires.
MIDAS, which also administers the CDBG grant, will be organizing a meeting in Lake City in the near future to give contractors the opportunity to see the available renovations.
