Yaw Announces Completion of Community Cup Apartment Project
Open House Set for September 17th
TOWANDA – A state and local effort to expand and revitalize affordable housing in the Borough of Towanda, Bradford County, has become a reality, according to state Senator Gene Yaw (R-23).
With assistance by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), through a Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) grant, several apartments located at 421 Main Street have been fully renovated and refurbished. The Community Cup Apartment project will provide needed housing for low-moderate income residents and the disabled.
“The Bradford-Sullivan Housing Task Force has been working diligently to find solutions for safe and affordable housing for some time, said Yaw. “Through collaboration with the Community Alliance Church, Partners in Family and Community Development, Allied Services, and Bradford-Sullivan Housing Task Force, as well as with the cooperation of county government, grants were submitted through PHFA for both the 2012 and 2013 grant funding years. I was happy to lend assistance in this effort.”
“PHFA is pleased to have provided $762,000 from the PHARE program to support the PFCD Community Cup Apartments project,” said Bryce Maretzki, PHFA’s Director of Office of Strategic Planning & Policy. “The renovation of this building into four apartments is an outstanding example of the innovative and needed projects being developed using the PHARE program. Congratulations are much deserved for getting the project completed.”
“This project is important for our area because it demonstrates the ability of multiple agencies and organizations to work together to solve the housing problems that are part of the landscape in Bradford County”, said Joyce P. Kerrick, Executive Director, Partners in Family and Community Development. “The economic impact alone of this money being brought back into the community has helped to provide a stronger Main Street in Towanda and support local businesses that have supplied construction materials, infrastructure improvements and general economic improvement. This is a positive use of the Act 13 impact fees to directly benefit residents of Bradford County.”
The public is invited to an Open House scheduled for Thursday, September 17th, 9am to 3pm.
“PHARE is a crucial part of our overall effort to improve our economy and provide affordable housing to state residents, especially in the Northern Tier and across the Senate District I am proud to represent,” Yaw added.
The PHARE program was established by Act 105 of 2010 (the “PHARE Act”) to provide the mechanism by which certain allocated state or federal funds, as well as funds from other outside sources, would be used to assist with the creation, rehabilitation and support of affordable housing throughout the Commonwealth. The PHARE Act did not allocate any funding but did outline specific requirements that include preferences, considerations, match funding options and obligations to utilize a percentage of the funds to assist households below 50% of the median area income. The PHARE program is funded entirely through Act 13 natural gas impact fee revenues.
CONTACT:
Janenne Goliash, 570-265-7448