Last week, the Franklin City Council approved the program design for the Madison Street Neighborhood Revitalization project.

Funded by Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Community Development Block Grant, this program allows qualifying residents of Madison Street to rehabilitate their homes’ structural problems.

By taking advantage of this program, residents have an opportunity to improve their living situation with the help of city officials. The administrators of the Madison Street project will solicit bids from contractors to ensure that each home gets the best quality work possible. Administrators will also provide homeowners with workshops specially designed to teach them about household maintenance to help keep their newly rehabilitated homes comfortable and affordable for years to come.

One of the basic necessities for human life is a warm, dry shelter. Sadly, some of the “houses” in Franklin do not provide this need. But the Madison Street Program will allow run-down houses in the allotted neighborhood to be revitalized and updated to proper standards.

If you think you are a qualifying homeowner, please apply for this grant. Rehabilitation projects will be carried out at no cost to the homeowner, unless the homeowner requests additional improvements not covered by the grant. This is an excellent opportunity for homeowners in the Franklin to improve their standard of living.

For more information on the project, including eligibility requirements and a list of improvements covered by the CDBG grant, go to http://www.franklinva.com/government/meeting-agendas/ and click the link titled “July 25, 2015 Final Agenda” to access a copy of the program design.