La Porte accepts $4 million Ready 2.0 grant to build and rehab downtown housing

Craig Phillips told the board the city has been awarded a $4,000,000 Ready 2.0 grant to advance a downtown neighborhood reinvestment project that will fund construction of new homes, rehabilitation of existing houses, and creation of upper‑story residential units above downtown businesses. Phillips said the grant is paired with substantial local matching from the Health Foundation and Unity Foundation and support from the Urban Enterprise Association.

Phillips described the project as the third of three major Ready 2.0 grants the city received and asked the board to accept the grant agreement. The board voted to accept the award; one member (Kosher) abstained. Phillips also requested approval of a separate $25,000 grant agreement with HFL for testing and appraisal work related to the AC trust property and a future YMCA; that smaller grant was approved with an abstention as noted on the record.

Phillips said the Ready 2.0 grant carries typical state timelines (three years to complete) and that staff will seek flexibility if deadlines need adjustment; no immediate appropriations were requested in the board presentation.