Adams County Board announces round two of GROW housing program

ADAMS COUNTY, Ill. — The Great River Economic Development Foundation (GREDF), in partnership with the Adams County Board, has announced that applications are now being accepted for the second round of the Adams County Growing Residential Opportunities County-Wide (GROW) Program.

The Adams County Board designated $1 million from the ARPA funds in 2024 to establish the program, which is aimed at addressing housing needs. This initiative encourages developers to turn abandoned houses or vacant lots into affordable housing.

The program successfully funded 57 new housing units, distributing a total of $640,000 through the GROW Program, in its initial round.

In the second round, a total of $360,000 is available to provide developers with $20,000 non-repayment loans per unit. The project may involve constructing new residential units on vacant lots. The development of currently uninhabitable or partially uninhabitable structures will be accepted. The GROW Program incentive cannot surpass 50 percent of the total project cost or $100,000, whichever amount is lower.

To learn more or apply for the Program, visit https://www.gredf.org/growing-residential-opportunities-county-wide-grow-fund/.

GREDF will be hosting two training sessions to review the program:

• Tuesday, April 15 — Oakley-Lindsay Center, 4 p.m.
• Monday, May 5 — On Zoom at noon. To obtain the Zoom link, email Madison Peters, GREDF vice president, at petersm@gredf.org.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17. Applications can be sent via email to gredf@gredf.org; dropped off to the GREDF office or sent via mail.