Housing Opportunities of Warsaw Inc. has been working with Grace College students and professors since April to conduct an income study of the Market Street corridor in Warsaw. The purpose of the study is to determine what, if any, grants may be available to address local housing needs.

Pam Kennedy of H.O.W., told the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety this morning that the preliminary results of the study found that 66.5 percent of the homes in the corridor are low to moderate income, “which is not what our census shows,” she said.

Additionally, the unofficial study found that 20 percent of the homes are occupied by elderly residents, 18 percent of those residents are disabled, 39.3 percent are single females serving as heads of households and 44.5 percent of the residences are rentals.

According to Kennedy, the results mean that area is eligible for Community Block Development Grants. In providing the study findings, Kennedy asked for the B.O.W.’s approval to spend $7,700 of $25,000 that was allocated for a 2013 CDBG. The money is for direct costs associated with conducting the Market Street Corridor study.

The three-member board of Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer, Charlie Smith and Jeff Grose approved the expenditure with the understanding that the H.O.W. will continue to gather information and design a plan for housing improvements in the Market Street area. The plan is then to apply for a CBDG in 2014.

In other business:

• A contract with SESAC, a music licensing agency, was approved. Contracts already exist with ASCAP and BMI but, according to recreation director Staci Young, SESAC is one of the three main players in the industry that only recently came to light. The annual contract for $327 was approved.
• Young announced the Warsaw Parks Department was the recipient of an Indiana Arts Commission grant for $3,658. “This is a 60 percent increase over last year’s grant,” she said.
• The purchase of a 1-ton cab/chassis with dump body and plows was approved for the Public Works Department. The vehicle is being purchased from Rice Ford of Warsaw for $26,276. W.A. Jones is the vendor supplying the dump body and plow at a price of $14,343 for a grand total of $40,619.

The B.O.W. meets at 10:30 a.m. the first and third Fridays of each month in the city hall.