Years of planning and community input just paid off for Milford.
The city secured a $435,000 Community Development Block Grant to revitalize its downtown storefronts.
CDBGs fund community projects that aim to enhance local vitality, public health and safety, economic well-being and quality of life. The grants go through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds them.
Milford hired a firm to help with a study for its Downtown Revitalization plan in 2022, and several community members gave their insight. The project’s committee decided it would like to focus part of its efforts on improving some of the business facades on First Street and B Street to spruce up the downtown, according to Milford City Clerk Jeanne Hoggins.
“To make those improvements is just moving us forward into the future,” she said.
As Milford has discussed the concept of upgrading business facades with community involvement for the past several years, it has showcased a true need for the grant, Hoggins said. Some businesses have already improved their storefronts themselves, and this grant will help fill in the gaps for those who have not been able to do so.
The revitalization plan is expensive, so the town applied for the CDBG grant to help, Hoggins said.
“Milford has not always been able to get grants, so for that to happen was wonderful,” she said. “And it just showed that our downtown revitalization planning sessions were beneficial and showed the need. It’s going to be very exciting.”
The DED said Milford will use the grant to operate a commercial rehabilitation program that will resolve fair and poor conditions in downtown buildings, and all CDBG communities should complete their awarded projects within 30 months.
Hoggins said businesses that have concerns about their buildings and want to upgrade will have to apply to receive a portion of the funds. They will also have to provide some of their own funding. The project is in its beginning stages, and details are yet to be finalized.
Hoggins said it has been exciting to see many upgrades come to Milford over the past several years, including the highway replacement and park improvement projects. When she heard that the grant came through for Milford to revitalize the downtown businesses, she was thrilled.
“We don’t have any empty storefronts on Main Street, so everybody’s interested in making Milford a wonderful place to live and providing different options for everybody,” Hoggins said. “It’s been great to see that growth and improvement.”
