Home-preservation group seeks Urbana council's support

URBANA – West Urbana doesn't jump out immediately as a neighborhood in need of improvement.

Full of large, century-old homes, it was voted one of the 10 "great places in America" in the neighborhoods category last year by the American Planning Association.

But Dan Folk, Carolyn Baxley and some other residents think more can be done in west Urbana; namely, fixing up some of the older homes that have been converted into student rental apartments and converting them back into owner-occupied homes.

They've formed a nonprofit community development corporation, the Urbana Development Group, whose mission is to carry out that goal. And it appears likely the Urbana City Council will vote in coming weeks to provide the group with financial backing.

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