By Bryan Bartlett
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-831892.mp3
Lexington, KY – In an effort to stabilize neighborhoods during the economic downtown, two Lexington non-profits - Community Ventures Corporation and the Hope Center - were awarded nearly four and a half million dollars. The grants will fund projects ranging from buying up foreclosed and abandoned properties for resale to eligible homeowners to providing affordable housing for citizens graduating from drug and alcohol recovery programs. Governor Steve Beshear says the programs will help stop the decline of property values and continue to support Lexington's tax base. The commonwealth's total statewide allotment of 37-point-4 million dollars is funded through the U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Department for Local Government.