Huizenga announces CDBG funding for Benton Harbor

Congressman Bill Huizenga says nearly $400,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds coming to Benton Harbor this fiscal year will help to help provide a better living environment for the residents affected.

Huizenga’s office announced nearly $5 million in CDBG funding for the Fourth District this month, including that $388,000 for Benton Harbor. Those dollars are used for home repairs for low-income residents, among other things.

Huizenga tells us funds also go to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, which works with private developers to build new housing. He says that’s a big priority.

“We’ve got to have affordable housing units that are being added,” Huizenga said. “It can’t just be a grant, however, or some sort of subsidy. We’ve got to pull in the private sector on this as well. So that was a big portion of the money that was coming.”

Huizenga says he’s aware of housing needs in Benton Harbor, speaking frequently with Mayor Marcus Muhammad.

“He and I talk on a regular basis, actually. He often texts, and I text back. He was in Washington a couple of weeks ago. We met here in my office. So, yeah, we’ve been staying in constant contact with him and his team about what is coming to Benton Harbor.”

Huizenga says he just met with Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner and invited him to Michigan to see its housing needs. He’s hoping to make that trip happen soon.