The Hall County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 to allow Home Development Resources Inc. to administer a federal housing grant in a special called meeting this morning.

The vote was the third for the commission; at its last board meeting it voted and then revoted the issue, both times voting 3-2 for Habitat for Humanity to administer the $2.3 million Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant.

The grant allows local governments to use the funds to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed residential property for resale to families in an effort to stabilize neighborhoods.

The commissioners agreed that a lack of information was to blame for the multiple votes. They did not realize that a request for proposal was part of the grant process.

At the March 26 board meeting, the commission voted to allow Home Development Resources Inc. to write and administer the Neighborhood Stabiliazation Program grant.

“When I found out everything we voted in March, if staff had presented that on Thursday night, we wouldn’t be here,” said Commissioner Bobby Banks.

At the board’s meeting Thursday, Banks, along with commissioners Ashley Bell and Billy Powell, voted to award the bid to administer the grant to Habitat for Humanity.

Bell proposed awarding it to Habitat for Humanity, the second bidder. Hall County Purchasing staff recommended awarding it to HDRI, due to the specificity of their plan for the grant.