HARRISBURG – With the growth of Pennsylvania’s Housing and Redevelopment Assistance program, Gov. Edward G. Rendell today said communities are turning historic landmarks into vibrant markets, cities are becoming places for artists and artisans and more people are finding affordable housing.
Now that the legislature has increased the program’s budget by $4 million to $34 million, the Governor said more Pennsylvania neighborhoods will enjoy the program’s benefits.
“I have seen first-hand how the Housing and Redevelopment Assistance program transforms a community with investments that spark new growth,” Rendell said. “Over the past four years, this program has been the driving force behind many of the best community revitalization stories throughout Pennsylvania.”
Since January 2003, nearly every county across Pennsylvania has received Housing and Redevelopment Assistance funding. In total, more than $115 million has been committed to construction or redevelopment projects that are making a difference.
“Housing and Redevelopment Assistance compliments local, federal and private financing by filling the gaps on projects that have an impact in the commonwealth’s cities, towns and boroughs,” Rendell said. “Without this funding, Market House in the City of Lebanon, the arts development center in the City of Allentown and Breeze Point Landing in the City of Warren could not have been developed as quickly or with as much quality.”
The Housing and Redevelopment Assistance program, a vital piece of Rendell’s economic stimulus program, is the most flexible funding stream available to municipalities for community revitalization and economic development activities at the local level. The goal of the program is to promote core community growth and business expansion through bricks-and-mortar projects.
“The Department of Community and Economic Development received more than $65 million in project applications last year for the Housing and Redevelopment Assistance program, making it among the most popular programs available to communities for housing and economic development projects,” Rendell said. “This year’s budget increase will allow even more communities to produce projects that will improve Pennsylvanians’ quality of life.”