Senator addresses city’s absence from Recovery Act grants
Mansfield News Journal – MANSFIELD — The City of Mansfield rolled the dice for $5.2 million in federal foreclosure relief funds and appears to have lost.
But U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said that even though the city isn't earmarked for some of $175 million in Recovery Act funds, it's not the last word.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development singled out Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Toledo, Columbus, Akron and Springfield for Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants. Amounts range from $6.1 million for Springfield to $40.8 million for Cleveland.
HUD officials said Thursday that $25 million will be used across 33 counties, which include Crawford and Morrow. Richland was not named. Mansfield, which has received $1.7 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding, hoped for more the second time around.
"There was an application. Richland County did not get chosen. I want to know why," Brown said during a visit to the News Journal offices Thursday.
But the senator noted just one midsized city received earmarked funds.
"It's not extraordinary that Mansfield didn't get it — it's extraordinary that Springfield did," he said.
