The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 155, No. 91, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 8, 2009 Page: 4 of 13
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Page 4A ★ TEhe Bastrop gtduertiser
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Home for the holidays
By Phil Alley
Smithville Times
Three Smithville residents
got early Christmas presents
this year -new homes. The
only cost to them was to
find temporary housing for
three months while their
old, dilapidated homes were
demolished and new brick
houses were built in their
place.
The Texas Department
of Housing and Community
Affairs awarded the City of
Smithville a second HOME
Grant, like the one they
received in 2005. The 2005
grant for $500,000 built nine
photo courtesy of Smithville Times
Richard Campos enjoys
sitting on the porch of his
rebuilt home on Jones
Street and watching the
neighborhood activity.
new homes.
Under the conditions of
the second grant, Smithville
received $375,000 to refur-
bish or demolish and rebuild
five houses that were in
a state of deterioration.
Because of qualification
changes made by the state,
only six qualifying applica-
tions were accepted and of
those six, five were selected
for the grant.
However, during the
implementation phase, work
on two of the properties was
halted. One applicant died
before demolition had begun
and a second applicant had
a problem showing clear
title to their property, a grant
requirement. Homes were
built for the three remain-
ing applicants, but the owner
of one of these homes died
during construction and
the ownership of his home
passed to his heirs.
Applications were solic-
ited and recipients were
chosen based on the condi-
tion of their homes and their
income level. Homeowners
had to find their own tem-
porary housing while the
construction crews went to
work. Three months later,
and a couple of weeks before
Christmas, two homeowners
moved back home for the
holidays into a brand spank-
ing new home that didn't
cost them a dime.
"The house is really nice...
I'm very happy and totally
satisfied with everything,"
said Benjamin Anderson, one
of the recipients. Anderson's
new brick home on Bunte
Street was finished just in
time to host holiday gather-
ings of friends and family.
The second Home Grant
recipient, Richard Campos
of Jones Street, said his new
brick home "was very nice,
I'm very satisfied." Campos
can be often seen enjoying
the view of his neighbor-
hood from the vantage point
of his new porch.
The HOME Grant process
involved the collaboration
of the City of Smithville,
the Texas Department of
Housing and Community
|*M
sgn
photo courtesy of Smithville Times
Benjamin Anderson leans on the porch of his new
home on Bunte Street. He has been in his new home
for three weeks after being displaced for the three
months it took to build the house.
Affairs and the local con-
tractor, all of who made an
effort not to overwhelm the
homeowners with all the
governmental paperwork.
"The whole process
wasn't too bad. There was
a lot of paperwork, but Mrs.
Campos with the HOME
Grant program took care
of most everything," said
Anderson. "And the builders
were real nice. They took
good care of me, even came
back after I moved back in
and told me to call them if I
had any problems."
"The grant process
can take up to two years
to complete from the date
the grant contract with the
state is signed," said Tex
Middlebrook, Smithville
city manager. "The city has
to spend 10-15 percent of
in-kind services, mainly for
the demolition and disposal
of the old homes."
"It's a positive program
that I first encountered while
working in Anson," said
Middlebrook. "It had such
a great impact that I want-
ed to bring it to Smithville,
too. And with the help of
Judy Langford, a great grant
writer, we've been able to
get it twice. And I just got
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a letter saying we've been
approved for another grant
for six homes in 2009. We
probably won't get our con-
tract with the state signed
until May, but anyone inter-
ested in being considered for
the grant can come by and
see me or Brenda Page and
put their name on a list to
receive a grant applications
once we're approved to start
the process."
helping out
photo courtesy of Betty Wade
Amanda Jordan, pictured, and Haley Albrecht's
seventh grade project involved helping out
animals. Together, they collected 75 Items for
the Bastrop County Animal Shelter, includ-
ing food, litter, toys and treats for the shelter
animals.
A New ear, rings New Changes
A New Day - Open Tuesdays (no Friday Market)
A New Day - Open Tuesdays (no Friday Market)
A New Time - 2:30 pm-6:00 pm
For your comfort during the winter months, we have moved
the Market into the metal building at the back of the lot at
1 302 Chestnut St. at the railroad tracks. Come join us inside
and shop for fresh local and n season produce, meats,
prepared foods, soaps, plants, yard eggs and much more!
Tuesdays 2:30-6pm
Saturdays 1 Qam-2pm
Located on Chestnut Street by
the railroad tracks in Bastrop
Enter for FREE monthly give-a-aways,
check out great recipes, our vendors, and what's in
season - visit bastropl 832farmersmarket.org
rr/r// y//£/ /W/v/rr//&
Appreciation
Celebration
Afvip/v////
Msgr. Edward J. Dokupil
(Retired)
37 years of devoted service to
Ascension Catholic Church and the Bastrop Community
Sunday, anuary 11, 2009
Celebrant
Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond
Bishop of Austin
Ascension Catholic Church 2:00 p.m.
3:30 until 5:30
Bastrop H gh School Commons, 1614 Chambers St.
No Gifts, Please - Cards Appreciated
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Wright, Cyndi. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 155, No. 91, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 8, 2009, newspaper, January 8, 2009; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth252545/m1/4/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.