Hall Commission looks at foreclosure repair funds

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Commissioners Thursday night plan to look at administering federal foreclosure housing renovation funds to address new homeowner complaints about repairs.

Commissioner Ashley Bell says up to now Home Development Resources Incorporated has administered the repair and renovation money and he wants the county to appoint another administration agency.

"We've had it outsourced to HDRI since 2009," Bell said. "We've had a lot of concerns about the responsiveness of that organization. Hopefully we can bring this in house and have a direct response to citizens who have complaints about some of the work that s been done under this grant."

Hall County is getting $1.9 million in new federal grant funding for the Neighborhood Stabilization program, awarded to counties with high housing foreclosure rates.

"We're going to have to hire someone else to do it, but 100-percent of that is coming from the grants and that's 100 percent from the federal money, not county general fund money," Bell added. "It won't cost taxpayers a dime."

Program and Grants Manager Jessica Robinson told commissioners Tuesday there are 22 houses that are renovated or being renovated under the program.

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