(Houma, LA.) Houma Main Street Program- Re-development incentive Grant application for 2016-2017 are new available.

Louisiana Main Street Redevelopment Incentive Grants: Encourages economic development through community reinvestment and revitalization by providing matching funds support for the redevelopment of historic downtown commercial properties in order to foster renewed interest in shopping, working, living downtown, and cultural tourism development by providing final support for the restoration and redevelopment (using historic preservation practices) of historic downtown commercial properties. Grant funding is dependent on state budgets and the amount of funding appropriated by the legislature.

Matching funds: This grant requires a dollar-for-dollar monetary match toward hard costs. Grant funds are limited to actual construction/restoration hard costs only. Owner or tenant contributions of design work, labor, equipment, and such regarded as in-kind and not considered as matching funds for the purpose of this grant.

This is a reimbursement grant. The award amount is paid upon completion of the work described in the approved scope of work in the State Grant Agreement that arrives after the recipients are announced. All grant funded work must adhere to (1) the scope of work described in the grant application, (2) the historic preservation guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior Standards (SO) fund at http://www.naps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs.htm, and (3) the State Grant Agreement signed after notification of award.

Three levels of grants are available: 

• $10,000 grant for redevelopment projects totaling a minimum of $20,000. 
• $2,500 grant for redevelopment projects totaling a minimum of $5,000. 
• $500 grant for redeployment project totaling a minimum of $1,000 for exterior repairs only. 

NOTE: this category is allowed only once per owner of an address. Painting applicants must demonstrate a genuine need. Awnings may not serve as business signage featuring the business name. Awnings may be either blank or feature the street address only.  Amendments to the substance of the grant (revisions, additional support materials) are not permitted once the application reaches the start office.

Grant requests: 

• Only one of the three funding amount categories, and 
• Either an exterior project or an interior project and cannot be combined in one application. 

Applications: Applications may be picked up, mailed or e-mailed submitted back to Houma Main Street Office, after meeting with the Main Street Program Director no later than Monday, June 13, 2016 at 4:00pm.

Local Historic District Meeting: The Houma Historic District Commission will meet on Monday, June 20, 2016 at 4:30pm at the Waterlife Museum, 7910 Park Avenue, to review applications prior to submittal to the Louisiana State Main Street Office for panel reviews and final award decisions.

Additional Information

• Original Press Release