MARION, Ill. (WSIL) -- A $7,500 grant was awarded to the Egyptian Board of REALTORS to help with expanding affordable housing opportunities in southern Illinois.
The grant was through the National Association of Realtors Housing Opportunity Program which supports activities which creates and expands affordable housing opportunities.
The Egyptian Board of REALTORS says this grant money will establish a partnership with a non-profit organization called southern Illinois NOW, which covers 17 counties in the southern portion of the state.
“REALTORS® build communities and work hard to make the American Dream a reality for millions of Americans each year,� said Charay Palmer, CEO of Egyptian. “This grant will help raise awareness about the need for more housing opportunities in southern Illinois while supporting our fight to increase the availability of affordable housing units. Because of these Housing Opportunity Grants, homeownership will now be attainable for countless additional families across this community.�
Ron Deedrick is the local government affairs director for Illinois Realtors. He said it's a way to get the ball rolling.
"It helps the local associations work with local lawmakers and when I say local law makers I'm talking about city council members and county board members," sais Deedrick. "This funding will help craft housing polices for 10, 15, 20 years down the road."
The Egyptian Board of REALTORS plan on using their new partnership with SI NOW to gather more data and the housing needs in southern Illinois which they say will be shared with governments which can identify the needs in these communities.
Egyptian will also join Southern Illinois NOW in a Housing Forum for their Economic Development Day in July.
For more information about the Housing Opportunity Initiative, you may find it .
