Tangipahoa Parish is getting $1.5 million in economic development grants aimed at creating more than 150 jobs, and another $410,000 in additional grants for infrastructure improvements.
The Louisiana Community Development Block Grants includes a $904,901 economic development grant, which will be spent to repair existing roads as well as build new roads surrounding the Barrister Global Services Network facility. Barrister, an information technology firm, plans to create a minimum of 100 full-time jobs during the three-year contract period of the project. Another $557,742 will go toward infrastructure improvements around the American Truss facility, which mass produces structural components for the construction industry in the Gulf South region. American Truss plans to create 53 new jobs over three years. In keeping with the terms of the grant program, 51% of the new jobs created by both firms will be given to employees from low- to moderate-income families.
The Tangipahoa Parish government also got $273,225 to buy a new water well, pressure tank and chlorinator for the Fluker Chapel community. The grant program provides assistance to local government in non-entitlement areas to improve housing and living environment and expand economic opportunities those earning low and moderate incomes. The 10 grants to municipalities in the parish include a $21,185 grant for the City of Hammond, a $17,100 grant for the City of Ponchatoula, one $11,400 grant each for the towns of Roseland, Kentwood, Independence and Amite, one $8,550 grant each for the villages of Tangipahoa and Tickfaw and two grants for the Tangipahoa Parish government totaling $35,815.
