By SCOTT POWELLLedger Staff Writerspowell@gaffneyledger.com

Cherokee County has received a $20,000 planning grant to develop a plan for housing rehabilitation in the East Gaffney area.

County officials will work with the Appalachian Council of Governments (ACOG) over the next several months on a study of housing repair needs on Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth streets. The study will identify priorities for housing rehabilitation and identify other community strategies for improving the East Gaffney area.

Once the study is complete, chief building official Mike Doles said the county would be eligible to apply for a $500,000 federal revitalization grant to fund repairs.

The county would spend an average of $25,000 per house for repairs such as new roofs, electrical upgrades, painting and plumbing repairs. Community meetings will be scheduled over the next several months to receive community input on housing repair needs.

“This is the first time Cherokee County has ever received this planning grant. Once we complete the planning, we will be able to receive more grant funding to begin improving this community,” Doles said. “Our target will be homeowners. We would then look at other properties such as rental houses and section 8 housing.” Spartanburg County has used similar funding from the federal Community Development Block Grant Program to improve housing in the Arcadia and Una area.

Doles envisions Cherokee County being able to apply for federal grant funding for housing repairs in lower income areas over the next several years. He notes the planning grant targets East Gaffney, an area where 73 percent of residents have low and moderate income levels.

Doles cautions it will take time for East Gaffney residents to realize the benefits from the proposed housing repairs.

“We are probably two years away from the first hammer and paint being used to repair a house,” he said.