June 8, 2022- Ain't that a kick in the head
Welp- I was just turned down for an ADU grant that I could reeeeeealy use right about now. Why, you ask? Because they ran out of funding for this particular grant program. The grant program that I have been trying top get information about since the end of May 2021. Like, over a year ago. I had called, and emailed and checked their site. Finally, in March 2022, after many ignored emails to the program admins (last one in November 2021), I found the application. I submitted, in earnest. I ticked all of the boxes. Right income (not much), right zone, right project, right paperwork. I submitted it all. After nearly 2 months of not hearing from them, I reach out again, and finally have someone get back with me. I update this and that, all the paper work is submitted, and boom. All the grant money is gone.
Seriously. If there cold be a less efficient process, I don't know what it would be. I asked for reporting on how many grants were released and what the dates were of the granting of the funds, and they tell me that they are not at liberty to report that. Really? I have always understood that public/City of Chicago grant money needs transparency. Apparently not. Do I imagine that the funds went to some crazy shell companies that are big name general contractors that submitted under their Aunt Mable's name, when Aunt Mable never actually created and ADU? Of course I do. That's what happened to the first round of Covid funding that was supposed to go to the small businesses. It's Chicago, it's got to happen all the time. Someone's cousin got bumped to the front of the line during the last 5 days after which I had all of my updated paperwork in. I just know it.
Uhg. More about 'budgets during construction' later, but these last minute light fixtures, baseboards, window sills, door hardware, drywall material costs, downspouts skuppers, and the likes are what are bringing me down right now. Just not even imagined that I needed to budget this much for that sort of thing. Not to mention emergency porch repairs and the cost of brick-mold.
What a drag. A big fat drag.