PEORIA, Ill. – The City of Peoria and the Peoria Housing Authority are celebrating a federal grant that they say will begin the process of transforming an important part of South Peoria.
The $500,000 “Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant” will center on beginning to change the area around Harrison Homes.
“Our community members are our best resource,” said Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, at a news conference Thursday. “They are the true experts in what their neighborhood needs are, and we will look to them for their vision of a transformed Harrison Homes, and a renewed Southside community.”
Ali says the two-year grant will allow for the early stages of a plan to be developed on how to improve the area around Harrison Homes, which could then lead to more federal money to actually make the changes.
“It will require input from community residents, residents within Harrison Homes, residents in the surrounding areas, stakeholders, business partners, public and private stakeholders as well,” said Armeca Crawfowd, CEO, Peoria Housing Authority.
Residents of the area around Harrison Homes in South Peoria say there has been a lot of talk before about making things better for their neighbors in the area – but, now, it’s real.
“Do you want to be placed in a situation as a homeowner, resident, renter, where other people think they know better what you need than you do? No,” said Daurice Coaster, who lives in the area of Harrison Homes. “Now, with this program, I’m excited that we have a voice. We have a way to share our creative ideas. We have ways to share the needs that face us day in and day out.”
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