More than $1.45 million in state funding has been awarded to Erie County organizations to support affordable housing projects, rehabilitation efforts, and homeownership opportunities throughout the region.
State Representatives Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced the grant awards through Pennsylvania’s Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund.
The PHARE program was established under Act 105 of 2010 and provides funding for the creation, rehabilitation, and support of affordable housing projects across the Commonwealth.
Local organizations receiving funding include:
$200,000 for Affordable Housing Development through the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Erie
$125,000 for the B.E.S.T. Aging in Place Project through the Bayfront East Side Taskforce
$200,000 for the Better Housing Modernization & Neighborhood Stabilization Project Phase IV through the Housing Authority of the City of Erie
$200,000 for Blight Reduction Through Demolition through the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Erie
$125,000 for the Bridge to Homeownership program through the St. Martin Center
$100,000 for the City of Erie Homeowner Repair Mini-Grants Program
$200,000 for the Healthy Homes initiative through the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Erie
$100,000 for the Landlord Incentive Program through the Erie County Department of Human Services MH/ID Office
$100,000 for the Mercy Center Campus Housing Project through the Mercy Center for Women
$100,000 for the Pathway to Home Ownership program through Erie’s Black Wall Street Incorporated
The funding is intended to support a range of housing-related efforts, including neighborhood revitalization, home repairs, blight reduction, affordable housing development, and programs designed to help residents achieve homeownership.