The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) recently announced that it has awarded an $80,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant to The Neptune Group of Cedar Hill, Texas. The grant will assist with the rehabilitation of 10 homes for very low-income elderly and disabled occupants in Shelby, Mississippi. Funding was made available through Trustmark National Bank in Jackson, Mississippi and each home will receive $8,000 for renovations. The funds are intended to improve the overall standard of living for elderly and disabled residents in Shelby by making any necessary home improvements. Rehabilitation will focus on basic interior and exterior repairs such as plumbing, electrical, roofing, and weatherization, and will even include energy-efficient upgrades. Through this activity, sub-standard units will be converted into safe, healthy, durable, affordable, and energy-efficient homes.
"We met with the City Council and with representatives from The Neptune Group and everyone was very excited about what we are getting ready to do," Gerard Hankins, Vice President of Trustmark National Bank said. "It’s amazing to get to work with The Neptune Group and to be in a position to fund this project. There is a lot of work to be done in Shelby, and this project is truly designed to help people who have a definite need to upgrade their property, and who wouldn’t be able to do it themselves."
"We intend to revitalize the homes of people who are really in need of help. It’s all about helping the community," said Eric Busby, contractor for The Neptune Group. "I’m very passionate about helping elderly and disabled citizens because those are the people that are usually left out or forgotten. A lot of them typically have a fixed income and therefore are not able to afford basic maintenance and repairs that come along with homeownership. This grant provides us with an opportunity to help them and to rebuild the city of Shelby."