County Outreach Focus Is Community Development In New Era

Potter County Redevelopment Authority and the Potter County Board of Commissioners are making a renewed effort to partner with various funding entities for increased participation in community development programs. With federal and state priorities changing and funding sources diminishing, county officials believe this is a good time to reach out to community leaders with an offer to help them adapt.

One of the surviving initiatives, the Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), will be the focus of a public program at 9:30 am on Monday, March 21, at the Galeton Community Building. The session will be of particular interest to township and borough officials from across Potter County who are interested in community development.

HOME is a fitting example of the partnership opportunities. Its goals are to provide decent, affordable housing to low/moderate income households, and to leverage private-sector investment while addressing issues of community blight. The program may be used for a down-payment to a financial institution, thereby reducing mortgage payments; for the purchase or construction of housing units for the low-income; for rehabilitation of substandard housing; or for projects that provide housing for the impoverished and/or homeless.

Potter County Redevelopment Authority has been working with Galeton Borough to qualify for a residential rehabilitation project under the HOME program. Its purpose is to improve the appearance and safety of neighborhoods, help preserve the housing stock, and maintain a supply of affordable housing.

More information on the HOME program is available from Joe Pagano at the Potter County Redevelopment Authority; telephone 274-7031. Information on Galeton’s program, including qualification requirements, is available from the Borough Office at 435-2275.