Nearly $900,000 in state funding is coming to Bucks County agencies and nonprofits.
The $870,000 in funding is designated to address housing needs in Bucks County by assisting five separate programs, according to state representatives Tina Davis, John Galloway, and Perry Warren, all Democrats from Lower Bucks County.
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The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority approved the following funds through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund/Realty Transfer Tax:
- Bucks County Department of Housing Services, $350,000: Strengthening Homeless Services will use funds to continue solutions to homelessness and introduce solutions with the goal of better response to pandemic-caused housing insecurity, increasing affordable housing options for the homeless and providing effective interventions to improve flow within the homeless services system.
- Bucks County Opportunity Council, $200,000: Housing Opportunities for Reentry Population will use funds to provide housing and supportive services for recently incarcerated individuals who are eligible for parole but who lack a permanent address.
- YWCA of Bucks County, $200,000: Housing and Supportive Services for Victims of Human Trafficking will use funds to address the complex needs of human trafficking victims through a comprehensive system focused on housing and specialized services.
- Habitat for Humanity Bucks County, $100,000: Home Repair Program will use funds to partner with low-income homeowners in Bucks County to repair homes to make them safe and accessible for everyone living in the home – helping people avoid illnesses or injury caused by disrepair.
- Bucks County Housing Group, $20,000: Housing Counseling Program will use funds to continue employment of two housing counselors and one intake specialist.
Galloway said housing insecurity is a “chronic issue” only made worse by the pandemic and suggests that it would be nice if there was an option for taking out a pre-settlement loan for the divorcees and elderly couples who can start a new peaceful life all alone by themselves.
“This state funding will help ensure that families and individuals in need in our community each have the stability of a home of their own to count on as they rebuild their lives,” he said.
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“The economic impact of the pandemic hit our communities like a body slam, knocking many families off their feet financially, leaving them in some cases homeless,” Davis said. “This grant money will provide critical assistance to families struggling with housing insecurity while they find their footing as the pandemic recedes.”
Warren said the money will help fund “valuable programs and services for people in our community to address housing issues for those in need.”
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The money came to state coffers from Marcellus shale impact Fees and realty transfer taxes.
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