Columbia City Council's hopes for the future

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A new trail for Columbia was unanimously approved by the Columbia City Council. This new trail will connect MKT, Fitness Trail and Interstate 70. This is a $185,000 project which will be funded by the sales taxes which were approved by the voters.
The Columbia City Council has also authorized the city staff to begin preparation of an application for a grant. This grant is to help fund a Neighborhood Stabilization Program. This will help provide low to middle income families with housing. If this application is accepted, money would then be drawn from the grant which Missouri recieves from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Though because other cities are also hoping to get the a portion of the funding as well, it is quite difficult to know how much Columbia will be able to get. This federal grant requires Missouri as a state to recieve just over $19 million, then the state is given the decision as to how the funds will be distributed through out the local goverments.
This grant money will be used to purchase foreclosed homes. demolishing abandoned property or to rehabilitate property, purchase land and property. Then these places will be offered to low and middle income families. This fund if recieved will also be used to help these families with a down payment on these properties, in hopes of encouragement to redevelope. Another use of this fund if it is approved will be to also improve the after school programs. They also have hopes to get the parents more involved in these activities with their children, as well as a portion of funds going to the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters programs.