$4M to Improve Fort Wayne Neighborhoods, Community

Stevens International is moving to Fort Wayne from Columbia City.

The Fort Wayne City Council is expected to vote today on an initiative to enhance neighborhoods and improve quality of life in the community, supported with nearly $4 million from the state of Indiana. Mayor Tom Henry announced the multi-faceted effort last month as a way to empower residents to make neighborhood improvements.

The city says a total of $3.8 million is being distributed to the city of Fort Wayne over and above what was budgeted in 2019. The money is the result of additional revenues collected by the state through income taxes.

The money would be split among several campaigns, including the “Investing in Neighborhoods Now” program where each of the city’s four area partnerships would receive $250,000 to make neighborhood improvements.

A portion of the money would also go to city-run home repair loan program to qualified homeowners.

The mayor’s office also says $300,000 would be designated to the Fort Wayne police department to assist in the battle against the opioid epidemic by purchasing new drug testing equipment.

The city also intends to put $610,000 into the city’s cash reserves, according to the city news release.