Thomson City Administrator Bob Flanders said he was ecstatic on Tuesday.
That's because he learned the city had been awarded more than $780,000 in a Community Development Block Grant to rehabilitate housing in a neighborhood near Pitts Street.
"It was one of those things we had in our redevelopment plan that we were going to try to do," Mr. Flanders said. "That's one little step trying to stabilize that neighborhood some down there by putting some single family dwellings in there."
The grant will pay for the paving of two streets adjacent to Pitts Street, drainage improvement in the area and readying lots for future Habitat for Humanity homes. There will also be some work done to update existing sub standard housing in the area.
"We'll try to use this as a catalyst to make some other things happen," Mr. Flanders said, in reference to the revitalization plan that includes many other projects to spur growth in the downtown region.
Several other municipalities in the area received CDBG grants.
Warrenton now has $500,000 to use for sewer system improvements.
Harlem will use it's $500,000 award for a Head Start facility, and Wadley received $500,000 for housing improvements.
