Butler County Church, Columbus Non-Profit Awarded Competitive Grant for Affordable Senior Housing

Washington, D.C., November 5, 2007 – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) today announced that the non-profit Franklin Foundation has been awarded a competitive grant of $2.76 million from the U.S. Department of Urban and Housing Development (HUD) to provide housing for elderly citizens.

The grant will help the Franklin Foundation and its partner, The Freedom House Church of God, provide clean and affordable housing for seniors in Trenton in Butler County. Earlier this year, Boehner wrote a letter of support to HUD for the Foundation’s application for this competitive grant.

“It is critical for a society to work together to care for the elderly,” Boehner said. “The program and efforts of the Franklin Foundation are a worthy endeavor and will be of significant help to our community. These competitive grants are awarded to communities based on merit and need, rather than politics. I’m very pleased the Trenton community was selected by HUD to receive this support through the Franklin Foundation.”

The Franklin Foundation is a non-profit organization headquartered in Columbus with a central mission to develop affordable housing for seniors throughout the Buckeye State. The Freedom Church of God in Trenton is one of many partners with whom the foundation works to fulfill this mission.

Lynn Dalton, president of the Franklin Foundation, said they began working with Pasto Larry Fultz of the Freedom Church of God, about a year ago and Fultz and the church’s board members identified a need for affordable senior housing in their community. A market study indicated that seniors 62 and older on a fixed income – $23,250 per year for one person; $26,550 for two persons – needed housing assistance.

The Franklin Foundation and the Freedom House Church of God worked closely with the Trenton City Council, other city officials and leaders, and Boehner’s office to submit an application for the HUD grant.

“This is a perfect example of the success of the public-private partnership to achieve a common goal in a community that shares our vision for their seniors,” Dalton said.

Boehner represents Ohio’s 8th District, which includes all of Darke, Miami and Preble counties, most of Butler and Mercer counties, and the northeastern corner of Montgomery County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.