In Waynesboro
YouthBuild could be win-win program
By Elizabeth Billips Associate Editor

If Waynesboro gets a YouthBuild grant, the city will have up to $700,000 to improve housing and employ young adults.

Last week, city council voted to apply for one of HUD's "best kept secrets" with hopes of becoming the first recipient in the CSRA.

The grant, which does not require matching funds, would train and pay low income participants, ages 16-24, to renovate and construct housing.

"This is another vehicle for community improvement," City Administrator Jerry Coalson said, adding that their first project would likely be winterizing substandard homes with new windows, insulation and roofing.

The program would employ around a dozen workers, the majority of which must be high school drop-outs from low income families.

YouthBuild would not only pay their salaries but would foot the bill for their educations, including job training and GED or high school courses. Coalson said the city hopes to work with local contractors, as well as the Burke County Board of Education, Augusta Technical College, Burke Community Partnership and other local organizations.

Nuts and Bolts + $400,000-$700,000 HUD grant

+ Employs participants, ages 16- 24; 75 percent must be low income, high school drop-outs

+ Participants paid to renovate or build affordable houses for homeless and low income families

+ Pays for participants to complete courses for diploma, receive job training and take other classes like parenting and money management

+ Since 1993, 13,000 homes have been built or renovated by 47,000 YouthBuild participants

Source: U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development