Latest news with #DepartmentofCommunityandEconomicDevelopment
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Home repair program in Pa. would continue investment in essential renovations
A street in Shamokin in Northumberland County. The county got more than $1 million for residential improvements like plumbing and weatherization through the Whole Home Repair Program, which has since run out of its American Rescue Plan funding. State lawmakers are proposing a similar successor funded at $50 million per year. (Emily Previti/Pennsylvania Capital-Star) A home repair program that Pennsylvanians really seem to need, based on the response, could continue if state officials can agree on how to run it. A bipartisan group of state legislators announced – just before budget talks officially start in Harrisburg – they'll co-sponsor forthcoming legislation creating the PA Home Preservation Program. Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget allocates $50 million for the program. It took mere months to spend four times that amount through the similarly-focused Whole Home Repair Program. The WHRP diverted $125 million to financing weatherization, plumbing and other essential improvements to thousands of residential units across the state starting last September, according to the state Department of Community and Economic Development. And more 18,000 applicants, combined, were left on waitlists kept by pass-through agencies, according to the planned bill's co-sponsorship memo. Lawmakers used a one-time federal infusion from the American Rescue Plan to create the WHRP. Program requirements limited homeowners to those making no more than 80 percent of median area household income. Landlords couldn't own more than five properties and 15 affordable units across all properties. And it capped project costs at $50,000 per unit. State officials view the WHRP as a pilot for the proposed PA Home Preservation program that's intended to be more permanent. 'It is not easy to sort of do all this coordination, build out relationships with contractors, … [and] sub-grantees,' said DCED Secretary Rick Siger during the agency's budget hearing earlier this year. 'But we have a path now…informed by, frankly, just learning a bunch of stuff as we ran Whole Home Repair.' The new initiative likely would have income limits for homeowner recipients and prioritize senior citizens, according to prime sponsor Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Pittsburgh. Other than that, few details have been hashed out, Powell said Friday. But one would be an effort to keep program guidelines as consistent as possible, she said. She cited constantly changing expectations and reporting requirements as a major challenge during her time on Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority Board. Siger, Powell and others have pointed to the age of Pennsylvania's housing stock as another reason to invest in renovation and rehabilitation, with nearly 60 percent of homes statewide dating back to before 1970.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Antis Township seeking grant to add more recreational activities
BELLWOOD, Pa. (WTAJ) — Antis Township applied for a grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development to add more recreational activities to the Bellwood Antis Community Park. Douglas Brown, the Township Manager, said amenities already exist at the park, but the grant would give people more options. They're looking to add a dog park and pickleball courts. Brown said it's something that the community has been asking for. 'So, almost ten years ago, Bellwood Antis had done a park and recreation plan, and it included improvements, one of which was a dog park. For various reasons, we're just now getting to it, but near the park, there's an unused piece of ground and looking to kind of fill out that park and maximize the use of that. That's really where the two ideas came together,' Brown said. DCNR visits Bald Eagle State Park, highlights new campground and other projects They've applied for a $250,000 grant with a 15% match. The township budgets for park and recreation improvements in its annual budget. They previously received another grant to pave a portion of the trail and extend access across the drainage ditch. That means there's money left in the budget that will be used to match the grant. If the state approves the grant, the township would bid out the project, find contractors and move forward with construction. If the grant is denied, Brown said they will move forward with plans and reapply, or take things in stages and work to make improvements for the community. The township is expected to learn the status of the grant in January 2026. 'Parks and rec is not our sole focus. It's a service we provide to the residents. You know, it's a really important service we provide, especially in town. It's a place where families can go,' Brown said. On May 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Bellwood Antis Community Trust will host a Kids Craft Fair in the park. The vendors will be local children who are going to present and sell their products. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pa. awards $22.5 million in Solar for Schools grants to help 73 schools reduce energy costs
A solar array. (Robert Zullo/ States Newsroom) Pennsylvania has awarded grants totaling $22.5 million to 73 schools across the state to help pay for solar energy installations, the Commonwealth Financing Authority announced Tuesday. The awards under the Department of Community and Economic Development's Solar for Schools program will provide up to $500,000 to each school. The solar arrays they help pay for could save school districts millions of dollars in energy costs, state Rep. Elizabeth Fieldler (D-Philadelphia) said. 'I am so happy for each of these schools and excited to see names from nearly every corner of the state,' Fiedler, who introduced legislation to create the program last year, said. 'I've heard from rural schools who plan to include their solar panels in agricultural education and from city schools that are thinking strategically about rooftop solar with limited space. I have no doubt that the recipients will benefit from the program's flexibility to meet their school's needs and to make the most of their strengths.' The grant awards come as the legislature is preparing for the final month before the state budget is due June 30. The current budget included up to $25 million for the Solar for Schools program and Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed to match that amount in the upcoming budget. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Fiedler's bill, which passed both chambers of the General Assembly with broad bipartisan support last summer, was created as a way to address the school funding crisis, rising utility costs and climate change together, her office said. 'As energy costs rise, diversifying our energy sources is more important than ever. Increased energy usage throughout the country also puts us at a higher risk because of the inadequate power grid,' state Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Greene) said. 'Schools that use solar panels will counteract that problem by improving Pennsylvania's energy security and lowering costs – saving millions of dollars of taxpayer money.' It also received strong support from building trade unions, whose members will benefit from the construction jobs the grants help to create. 'These new projects through Solar for Schools will open up doors for workers across the state,' said Robert S. Bair, president of the Pennsylvania Building Trades Council. 'Energy jobs are crucial in Pennsylvania. Labor needs to be on the forefront of growing industries like solar.' Union support was, in part, the result of a yearslong effort to strengthen relationships between environmental and labor advocates, who recognize the adoption of renewable energy sources requires skilled workers just as fossil fuel plants do. In the initial round of applications for Solar for School, districts from rural, suburban and urban areas requested $88 million, more than three times the amount available in the current budget. The grants awarded totaled less than the full $25 million because the money is divided between three regions and the DCED did not find enough qualifying applications in one of them, Fiedler said. While interest in renewable energy is growing and political support for such programs is broadening, solar energy still faces hurdles in state government. With the overwhelming response to the initial appropriation, Fiedler said she is hopeful that at least another $25 million Solar for Schools will be approved as part of the next budget. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nonprofit developer announces new affordable housing project for Pittsburgh
Action Housing, Pittsburgh's largest non-profit developer, announced on Friday that it has 490,000 square feet of land under development for affordable housing. This initiative will create 460 new units ready to accommodate Pittsburgh families in the coming months and years. 'It's a fundamental part of life, and without it, it's really hard to thrive. To me, it's the most important thing,' said Lena Andrews, the CEO of Action Housing. During their annual meeting, Action Housing shared plans to add hundreds of new units of affordable housing. 'We have 490,000 square feet of affordable housing land under development, which includes buildings that we are renovating and constructing to house vulnerable Pittsburghers,' Andrews explained. The non-profit currently manages around 2,000 affordable units in and around Pittsburgh and will add 460 more units aimed at households earning at or below 30% of the area median income. Some of the new projects include Uptown Flats, located on 5th Avenue, which will provide permanent supportive housing for up to 34 families. Additionally, the Penn Lincoln Apartments will feature 41 affordable units, with options ranging from one to three bedrooms. Governor Josh Shapiro and Secretary Rick Siger, who oversees the Department of Community and Economic Development, both pledged their support for additional resources and funding to ensure the ongoing development of affordable housing. 'It's a lot of seniors who have worked their entire lives and are now living on social security checks that no longer cover their expenses, leading them to find themselves in our shelter system,' explained Erin Dalton, the Director of the Allegheny Department of Human Services. Dalton was recognized for her efforts in combating homelessness, stating, 'What we need is housing. The solution to homelessness is more affordable housing.' To learn more about other Action Housing projects or to check for eligibility, visit: Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
City focused on fixing aging homes
LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) – Mayor Danene Sorace said Thursday that affordable housing is a topic on the mind of every mayor across Pennsylvania and nationwide. For a city, it can be difficult to find room to squeeze in new housing. It's leading Lancaster down the path of protecting the aging homes it already has. 'It is often one repair, one leaking roof, one boiler that's not working, one collapsed sewer line that is the difference between whether or not they're going to be able to stay in their home or if they're going to need to sell and relocate to some place else that may not be as affordable long term,' Mayor Sorace said. This isn't just a Lancaster problem. Governor Josh Shapiro is looking to address the issue and provide dollars in his next budget. 'The governor's proposal calls for $50 million in a housing stock restoration program to restore our aging homes,' Rick Siger, the secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Community and Economic Development, said. Lancaster received a grant in 2020 for around $10 million to make necessary repairs inside aging homes. 'In 2024 alone, the city invested $3.75 million in our aging housing stock and helped more than 200 low to moderate income households make needed home repairs, addressing a variety of health and safety issues,' Mayor Sorace said. Those repairs are made possible with the help of the city's Office of Healthy Homes, which is looking to combat issues such as lead poisoning. 'We're really trying to let people know that lead is really just the tip of the iceberg,' Elaine Esch Lapp, the lead program manager for the Office of Healthy Homes, said. 'I know a lot of caretakers of young children worry about lead poisoning.' Mayor Sorace feels confident in Healthy Homes' work across the city. Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices 'I know that the work that our led team is doing is transforming the lives of our little ones because they will not be impaired for their entire lives by lead poisoning,' Sorace said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
