GOLF MANOR (11/30/2020) –Over the past three years, from 2018 to 2020, the Village of Golf Manor has received funding available from from the Federal government through Hamilton County in the form of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant.  During this period, the Village has directed those funds to support property maintenance and building code enforcement for residential and commercial properties.

Under the direction of Code Official Det. Jill Matthews, and Deputy Code Official Andy Lanser, a large number of property maintenance issues have been resolved, along with other more serious building code violations such as blighted buildings, structural integrity, and mitigation of health and safety hazards that jeopardize the well being of the Golf Manor community.

Prior to our current program, the Village had contracted with a third-party enforcement agency that proved to be ineffective in providing the service needed in our community. Bringing this program in-house again has provided the opportunity for Det. Matthews to work with property owners across the Village in solving issues that directly effect the quality of living for residents and their neighbors.

For the CDBG grant renewal period of 2021 through 2023, the Village has proposed a modified approach to continuing this program that will enhance our efforts and stabilize the integrity of the housing and commercial property inventory of the Village.. There are three links below to applications that have been submitted to Hamilton County Planning, the administrators of the CDBG program. In summary, we have proposed the following:

• In 2021 and 2022, the Village will continue to direct the CDBG funds to the property maintenance program which will be enhanced to include a part-time Code Official who will spend 80% of their time on-the-ground, walking the Village interacting with residents and business owners to identify and correct property maintenance and building code violations. This program will expand to work directly with landlords related to the quality of living in rental properties in the Village as well as other property owners. So far our efforts have helped to increase property values and gain compliance with properties that have been in disrepair for years. There’s still a lot of work to do, and having someone dedicated to the task a full 20-hours per week will be significant. In addition, this new position will be responsible for developing resources to assist residents in solving and funding the most serious violations identified.
• In 2023 the Village has proposed returning a program that has been used in the past. A home improvement reimbursement program would be established to allow for project reimbursement of significant residential exterior repairs up to a specific maximum amount. Details of the program will be announced as they are developed.

Here are the links:

• CDBG Funding Application for 2021
• CDBG Funding Application for 2022
• CDBG Funding Application for 2023

We invite public comment on these appications and will accept comments until 4:30 PM on Friday, December 11, 2020, Comments should be sent by email to info@golfmanoroh.gov or sent in writing to:

CDBG Feedback

Attn: Administrator

6450 Wiehe Road

Golf Manor, OH  45237

Written comments need to be postmarked no later than December 11, 2020.