The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) recently awarded $75,000 in grants for housing improvement efforts in Beaver and Lawrence counties, according to Senator Elder Vogel.
A grant of $25,000 was awarded for Beaver County’s Rental and Utility Assistance Program and $50,000 was awarded to the Lawrence County Housing Rehabilitation and Blight Removal Program.
The grants are funded by Act 13 of 2012, the Marcellus Shale impact fee legislation, which allocates certain amounts from the impact fee into PHFA’s Housing Trust Fund (PHARE) to address the need for affordable housing in counties where producing nonconventional gas wells are located.
“The PHARE program provides an excellent way to invest the Marcellus Shale impact fee revenue to improve the availability of affordable housing in areas where drilling is taking place,” Senator Vogel said. “This state investment will assist county efforts to eliminate blight and improve housing opportunities while simultaneously enjoying the economic benefits provided to our region by the shale industry.”
Beaver County’s Rental and Utility Assistance program will use the grant to address chronic homelessness and homeless prevention by providing rental and utility assistance to eligible households.
Lawrence County’s Housing Rehabilitation and Blight Removal Program will use the money to assist owner-occupants with rehabilitation efforts as well as for the acquisition and demolition of vacant and blighted structures.
CONTACT: Anthony Tammaro
atammaro@pasen.gov