The --> --> -->Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington --> --> --> (CGN) has been awarded a $10,000 grant by the Home Depot Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to improve energy efficiency in Covington's single-family houses, rental units, and office space.

CGN will use the grant to hire a green building consultant, who will assess properties in predevelopment, make recommendations on energy-efficient materials, oversee construction, and evaluate completed projects.

At Seneca Place in the City's Austinburg neighborhood, CGN has built four modular houses that have achieved 5-star Energy Star ratings, and one of the houses is pursuing LEED Gold certification.

However, the majority of CGN's projects involve the rehabilitation of century-old buildings in areas in and around the city's Arts District, making the implementation of green building techniques much more difficult.

"The Cincinnati area has some of the oldest housing stock in the nation, and this grant provides an important opportunity to renovate older houses in a way that makes energy efficient and sustainable," said Kathy Schwab, executive director of LISC of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. "Homeowners and residents will benefit, as will Covington and the entire region by the lessons learned from these projects."

CGN is the third Greater Cincinnati area community development corporation to win a Home Depot Foundation grant this year.

In April, Price Hill Will and Cincinnati Northside Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation each won $10,000 grants to promote green redevelopment and urban greenspace.

Since 2002, the Home Depot Foundation has granted nearly $30 million to non-profit organizations to aid in the development of more than 40,000 affordable, healthy homes. Since 1980, LISC has raised more than $7.8 billion to build or rehab nearly 215,000 affordable homes and to develop 30 million square feet of retail, community, and educational space nationwide.

Photo of 308 W Robbins Street courtesy of the Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington.

Previous reading on BC:
LISC wins funding, AmeriCorps to begin work here in September (7/7/09)
Covington's newest pocket park features tributes to artist Farny (7/1/09)
Covington Quest offers prizes and fun, helps build communities (6/15/09)
City kicks off National Homeownership Month in Northside (6/8/09)
Inside Seneca Place (8/1/08)