County of Accomack, Virginia

 Derelict Building Removal Grants Program

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors recently passed an ordinance to establish a community revitalization fund for the purpose of preventing neighborhood deterioration.  The initial use of this fund is to offer grants to nonprofit organizations and Virginia political subdivisions, for the purpose of demolishing dilapidated and unsafe residential structures in qualifying communities. 

Eligibility:

Only nonprofit organizations tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRC and political subdivisions are eligible to apply for grant assistance.  These organizations are invited to apply for grant funds to cover the cost of removing uninhabited derelict residential structures located in any unincorporated area of Accomack County.  Derelict structures located inside the incorporated limits of a town are not eligible for this program.

Applicants are free to choose any uninhabited structure they believe is in need of removal for purposes of their grant application however structures located in the following areas are considered preferred:

• Communities designated as “disadvantaged’ by the Federal Government’s Climate and Economic Justice Screen Tool
• Areas designated as a high priority for a Virginia DHCD funded housing project by the Accomack County Board of Supervisors; or,
• Structures in close proximity to inhabited areas or to public use areas.

Grant Funds Available:

The total amount of funding available for this program is $300,000.  The maximum award amount for an applicant is $150,000. No applicant is entitled to a grant and the approval of a grant, including the amount thereof and any conditions attached thereto, are within the discretion of the County Administrator.

 Reimbursable Costs:

Direct costs incurred in the removal of a structure are eligible for reimbursement from the grant.  Direct costs include but are not limited to:

• Title searches
• County permitting fees
• Postage
• Asbestos testing & removal
• Structure demolition
• Removal of debris including tipping fees
• Administrative expenses (reimbursed as a % of actual costs)

Costs associated with administration of the derelict structure removal program, both direct and indirect, are limited to a maximum of 10% of the total grant amount. 

 Application Scoring:

The applicant selection process is competitive with all applications scored and ranked using the following criteria:

• The number of structures proposed for demolition and their condition
• The projected average demolition cost per proposed structure
• Location of the structure to be demolished
• Density of the structures chosen for removal
• The demonstrated ability of the applicant to administer the program
• The requested amount of overhead to administer the project expressed as a percentage of actual cost (maximum of 10%)

Successful applicants will be required to enter into an agreement with the County specifying the program’s terms and conditions including but not limited to: performance periods, quarterly status reports, document retention, and eligible costs. 

Application:

All applicants are required to complete and submit an application in order to be considered for a grant award.  The application must include the physical address and/or County tax map number of each derelict structure that is targeted for demolition.

To complete and submit an application, click here.   

Items you will need to complete an on-line application are as follows:

1. A PDF of the entity’s tax-exempt determination letter from the IRS or, in the case of a political subdivision, the resolution creating the political subdivision.  Must be uploaded with application.
2. The county tax map number for each structure to be demolished. 
3. Photos of all structures to be removed as identified on the application.  All photos must be combined in to no more than three files and uploaded as part of the application.  Note that the maximum file size allowed for upload is 25MB.  Allowed file types are .gif, .jpg, .png, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .rtf, .pdf, .txt

Timeline

11/01/24        First day grant applications will be accepted.

12/31/24        Last day grant applications will be accepted

01/01/25- 01/31/25      Grant application review and scoring period (tentative)

02/19/25        Grant award recommendations to be considered by Accomack County Board of Supervisors (tentative)

02/20/25- 02/28/25      Performance contract execution period (tentative)

03/01/25        Period of grant performance begins (1 year) (tentative)

Non-Discrimination

The County of Accomack does not discriminate against organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia, §2.2-4310 and §2.2-4343.1 or any recipient of a grant or contribution because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment.

Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding the grant program, please call 757-787-5700 or 824-5444 or email administration@co.accomack.va.us