09-05-2025
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.
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'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.
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