Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NASHVILLE – State Senator Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City), Rep. Timothy Hill (R-Blountville), and Rep. Renea Jones (Unicoi) recently announced that the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) is providing a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to Carter County. The $420,000 grant will go to Fire Protection Improvements.

“I am pleased to announce that TNECD is awarding this important grant which will help improve public safety in Carter County,” said Crowe. “It will provide resources to improve fire protection, which is critical to saving lives and livelihoods during a disaster.  We have just witnessed the destructive impact a disaster can have, so it’s important to do all we can to prevent and mitigate devastation from disasters. Thank you to all the local officials and TNECD that made this possible.” 

“This grant award will allow local leaders to make public safety improvements throughout the community to reduce fire damage and ultimately save lives,”  Reps. Hill and Jones said in a joint statement. “We are beyond grateful for our first responders, and we know this funding will directly help them protect our citizens.” 

The grant is part of 40 grants totaling $26.6 million being administered statewide by TNECD. The grants will assist communities with infrastructure improvements and health and safety initiatives across the state.

“Having the right infrastructure is essential to the work we do as a department because it can be the deciding factor in a company looking to expand or locate in Tennessee,” said Commissioner McWhorter. “The CDBG program is crucial to TNECD’s rural and community development efforts, and we are proud to announce additional funding today that will enable new growth in 40 communities statewide.” 

The allocation of CDBG funds is based on priorities set through the public meeting process at the local community level. The CDBG program is funded through HUD and administered in Tennessee by the Department of Economic and Community Development. Funds are available for water and sewer improvements, health and safety projects and other improvements to enhance the quality of life in Tennessee’s rural communities.

More information about the TNECD and CDBG can be found here.