County Officials Discuss CHIP Grant

MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio- The Community Development Director met this morning with the Muskingum County Commissioners to discuss ongoing projects and barriers they are facing. 

Officials discussed the 2018 Community Housing Impact and Preservation Grant. The CHIP Grant helped to fund several  projects that included three new construction units, 22 home repairs and four owner rehab projects.

“All of our grants have deadlines that we have to meet. Our biggest one, which is our 2018 CHIP Grant. It was extended until October 2021 due to Covid,” Community Development Director Sheila Samson said.

The 2018 CHIP Grant was for $750,000 with $400,000 for the county and $350,000 for the city. Currently, the projects are in need of contractors.

“Issues we’re having right now is a lack of interested contractors for our CHIP program…We’re scrambling to figure out a way to get some contractors interested in finishing up our program for us,” Samson said.

A 2020 CHIP Grant application in partnership with the city of Zanesville is still in the works.