COLUMBIA — The towns of Blackville and Harleyville Tuesday received Community Development Block Grants toward infrastructure development.

 

Blackville received a $439,000 grant for a pump station upgrade, and Harleyville received a $107,200 grant for a sewer station pump upgrade.

 

The towns were among 31 communities across the state to receive the CDBG grants totaling about $11.4 million.

 

The 27 CDBG-funded projects will provide new public water or sewer service and improvements to existing deteriorated systems.

 

The projects will aim to bring water service that is safe, free of contamination and that provides adequate fire protection for residents. Sewer system improvements will eliminate failing septic tanks and ensure that environmental standards are being met.

 

Four additional projects are designed to help improve the physical appearance and stabilize neighborhood property values through a program called “Paint the Town.”

 

“Paint the Town” is designed to make communities more economically competitive by improving the overall physical appearance and stabilizing neighborhood property values. The program will make necessary repairs to facades and exteriors of low- and moderate-income occupied housing units within a concentrated neighborhood.

 

Communities receiving CDBG funding are required to provide at least 25 percent matching funds.

All grants awarded through the CDBG program must meet at least one of three objectives:

 

* Benefit low- and moderate-income persons.

 

* Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blighting conditions.

 

* Meet other urgent community development needs, where existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to public health and welfare and where other financial resources are not readily available to meet such needs.

 

The grants funds are allocated annually to South Carolina from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

 

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