Rome’s application for a $15.3 million grant to redevelop part of East Rome has been turned down by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Hope VI grant would have facilitated a major facelift for the Altoview Terrace public housing community and spring boarded redevelopment along the Maple Street/East Rome corridor.

Sandra Hudson, executive director of the Housing Authority of Northwest Georgia, said that the lack of clarity on the number of homes that would be rebuilt, and the fact that the authority did not have control over the entire redevelopment area were factors in the rejection of the application.

Hudson made it clear the authority will refine and resubmit the application next year. She said that she would probably go ahead with an application to demolish the 95-unit Altoview Terrace along Spring Creek Street. Demolition of the complex would add points to the funding formula used by HUD in making the grant awards.

The grant would have brought $15.3 million that proponents had hoped would generate another $30 million in private investment to the East Rome Redevelopment Plan. The plan basically covered an area from East 12th Street to East 20th Street.

The city of Rome had pledged $2.6 million to the project, earmarking Community Development block grants funds, the donation of a number of abandoned properties and half a million dollars form a federal housing partnership program.