MDA Announces Workshops For Small Rental Assistance Program

The Mississippi Development Authority will begin the second round of the Small Rental Assistance Program next week with a series of workshops for property owners who are considering applying for a forgivable loan to help build or rehabilitate Coast rental properties.

The 16 workshops begin Monday in Biloxi and will continue through Oct. 30 at various locations in Biloxi, Gulfport, Gautier, Poplarville, Saucier, Long Beach, Picayune, Pascagoula and Bay St. Louis.

"We've worked to make Round 2 of the Small Rental program much simpler for applicants to understand and navigate through the application process," said Jon Mabry, Chief Operations Officer for MDA's Disaster Recovery Division. "There will be a special emphasis on prioritizing those applications that help rebuild affordable housing in neighborhoods hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina."

The Small Rental Assistance Program applies to properties in Harrison, Hancock, Jackson and Pearl River counties to provide loans of up to $40,000 per unit, provided the owner rents the property to low- and moderate-income tenants at least five years.

Applicants with properties in existing neighborhoods, or "infill," are especially encouraged to apply.

"Restoring communities and giving them the tools needed to recover and prosper is really the overriding goal of Mississippi's hurricane recovery effort," said SRAP Program Manager Nell Rogers. "We're targeting SRAP dollars toward rejuvenating existing neighborhoods and helping people stay in familiar areas and long-standing communities where they feel most at home."

Each workshop will be managed by MDA personnel who can help applicants determine if the SRAP program is right for their property.

"Even though we're targeting infill, we encourage everyone who thinks they might qualify to attend a workshop," Mabry said. "We want as many applicants as possible, and our staff will gladly explore all ways in which SRAP can be applied toward establishing more affordable rental stock along the Coast."

An SRAP guidebook is posted on MDA's Web site: www.mississippi.org, click on "disaster recovery."

An online application form will be posted on MDA's Web site October 15.

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SRAP workshops
Here is a schedule of SRAP workshops that will be held from Oct. 13 to Oct. 30 in South Mississippi:

Mon, Oct. 13, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Beau Rivage Main Theater, 875 Beach Road, Biloxi;

Tue, Oct. 14, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mississippi Power Bldg., Hwy. 90, 30th Ave, Gulfport;

Wed, Oct. 15, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. West Harrison Community Ctr., 4670 Espy Ave. Long Beach;

Thu, Oct.16, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Donal Snyder Community Ctr., 2520 Pass Road, Biloxi;

Tue, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to Noon, Harrison Cty. Library, 2141 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi;

Wed, Oct. 22, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. St. Martin Community Ctr., 15008 Lemoyne Blvd., Biloxi;

Thu, Oct. 23, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. MGCCC Jeff Davis Campus, Bldg. D, 2226 Switzer Rd., Gulfport;

Fri, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to Noon, American Legion Post 139, 703 Green Meadow Rd., Bay St.Louis;

Sat, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to Noon, MGCCC Jackson Cty. Campus, Fine Arts Aud., 2300 Hwy. 90, Gautier;

Mon, Oct. 27, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Pearl River CC Cafeteria, 101 Hwy. 11 N, Poplarville;

Tue, Oct. 28, 10 a.m. to Noon, Picayune City Council Chambers, 815 N Beach St., Picayune;

Tue, Oct. 28, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Our Lady of

the Gulf Community Ctr, 228 S Beach Blvd., Bay St. Louis;

Wed, Oct. 29, 10 a.m. to Noon, Woolmarket Community Ctr., 16320 Woolmarket Rd., Biloxi;

Wed, Oct. 29, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saucier Community Ctr., City Hall, 24014 Church Ave., Saucier;

Thu, Oct. 30, 10 a.m. to Noon, B.E. McGinty Ctr., Jackson Co. Fairgrounds, 2902 Shortcut Rd. Pascagoula;

Thu, Oct. 30, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., VFW, Orange Grove, 15206 Dedeaux Rd., Gulfport.