The Community Development staff is responsible for the day to day administration of multiple funding programs.  The primary source of funding is from the U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) and Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH).  With additional funds from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) under the Pennsylvania Housing Assistance & Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Program.

The following is the list of active grant programs currently administered by Blair County:

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRAM

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanding economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons. The program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

Eligible activities must meet one of CDBG’s three national objectives: (1) benefit low- and moderate-income persons (primary objective); (2) aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight; or (3) meet other community development needs that present a serious and immediate threat to the health and welfare of the community. 

Click HERE for additional information on Blair County’s CDBG Program

EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) PROGRAM

The Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program is authorized by subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11371–11378). The program authorizes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make grants to states, units of general purpose local government, and territories for the rehabilitation or conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelters for the homeless, for the payment of certain expenses related to operating emergency shelters, for essential services related to emergency shelters,  street outreach for the homeless, and for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing assistance. 

ESG funding may be used for renovation, rehabilitation, or conversion of buildings for use as emergency shelters or transitional housing; provisions of essential social services for the homeless; payment of operating costs for shelters; and the development and implementation of homeless prevention activities, such as short-term mortgage/rent or utility payments, security deposits, first month rent, landlord-tenant mediation, and tenant legal services.

Click HERE for the 2020 ESG Application Guidelines 

HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP (HOME) PROGRAM

The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) is an entitlement funding created primarily to support the development of affordable housing. HOME provides general guidelines to local governments to design affordable housing strategies that address local needs and housing conditions. The funds may be used for such activities as tenant based rental assistance, homebuyer’s assistance, property acquisition, new construction, rehabilitation, site improvements, demolition, relocation, and administrative costs.

LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION GRANT

The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHR) grant program is to maximize the number of children under the age of six years protected from lead poisoning by assisting states, cities, counties/parishes, Native American Tribes or other units of local government in undertaking comprehensive programs to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned rental or owner-occupied housing populations.

Contact

BLAIR COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Blair County Courthouse
Suite 441B
423 Allegheny Street
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648-2022

Phone: (814) 693-3023
Fax: (814) 693-3052

director

Tricia Maceno
tmaceno@blairco.org
Ext 1480