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PITTSTON \u2014 International Cities\/County Management Association (ICMA), a leading organization of local government professionals dedicated to creating and sustaining thriving communities throughout the world, has chosen Northeast PA Land Bank\u2019s (NEPALB) Mod-Home Initiative Project as one of the recipients of the Local Government Excellence Award for 2026.<\/p>\n
NEPALB, a public agency designed to return vacant or blighted properties to productive status while adding income to the tax base, developed two Mod-Home Initiative Projects in 2025, which was a way to purchase a home through an innovative rent-to-own model designed to help families achieve homeownership.<\/p>\n
Through a sustained $750,000 grant from Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund, the Mod-Home Initiative represented an innovative approach to addressing the region\u2019s shortage of affordable housing.<\/p>\n
The projects included the construction of two new modular single-family homes, a one two-bedroom unit on N. Main St., Pittston, and another three-bedroom home on 292 Coolidge St., Dupont. Both modular homes, built under a controlled environment at Simplex Homes, were designed and contracted by Cornerstone Building Solutions.<\/p>\n
Recognition by ICMA is a big feather in the City of Pittston\u2019s cap, which has been focusing on housing on all levels in the city, dating back to Oct. 12, 2017, when Mayor Michael Lombardo declared a 100-house initiative.<\/p>\n
City of Pittston\u2019s administrator, Joe Chacke, the only member of ICMA in the city, feels extremely thrilled to represent Pittston in the category of Community Partnership Award for a population of less than 10,000 residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s super exciting to receive the award,\u201d Chacke said. \u201cWhen I got the call, they told me it was an extremely competitive year, and they had to go through multiple rounds before we came out on top. To be recognized amongst my peers throughout the country is pretty exciting and flattering, and to see the City of Pittston getting recognition on a national scale is awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mayor Lombardo echoed Chacke\u2019s sentiments and added his own.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst and foremost, we are always grateful when we get recognized,\u201d Lombardo said. \u201cIt\u2019s an affirmation the fact for the last two decades we\u2019ve been working on housing issues before housing was even on the national radar. A project like that exemplifies what, not only short-term planning but long-term planning does, and the journey of that property (in Pittston) went from a blighted nuisance property to demolition to us acquiring it to putting a modular home there and then placing a first-time home buyer in there is the greatest story ever told.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lombardo said the team at the City of Pittston would continue to do projects like the Mod-Home moving forward.<\/p>\n
Chacke will travel to Long Beach, CA, in Oct. to accept the award at the ICMA\u2019s Annual Conference, where thousands of local government professionals from across the country and around the world gather.<\/p>\n
There are 13,000 members of ICMA to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices to improve the lives of residents.<\/p>\n
ICMA offers membership, professional development programs, research, publications, data and information, technical assistance, and training to local government chief administrative officers, their staff, and other organizations around the globe.<\/p>\n
NEPALB was established in 2014 and consists of nine municipalities: Pittston, Pittston Twp., West Pittston, Avoca, Duryea, Dupont, Jenkins Twp., Exeter, and Plains Twp.<\/p>\n
To date, the NEPALB has acquired 70 properties in total, selling 40, with 2 more sales pending.<\/p>\n
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