Smith-Wade-El brings home $4.14M in state grants for community improvements
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus October 23, 2024 | 2:13 PM
LANCASTER, Oct. 23 – State Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, announced that he helped to secure $4,145,502 in state grants for the 49th District to build affordable housing and renovate a school into a community center for children, families and seniors.
“Our area’s families need and deserve housing in which to raise their families,” Smith-Wade-El said. “Not only does having a roof over one’s head provide a sense of security, but a home makes a family healthier, makes a student perform better in school, helps a worker keep a job. Every family deserves a chance to get ahead, not just get by, and that starts with a home. My team is proud to work to bring home millions to secure homes, fight homelessness, provide our kids with places to play and our neighbors with places to thrive.”
$500,000 Franklin Street Project
Thaddeus Stevens Foundation is partnering with South Ann Concerned Neighbors Inc. for the purpose of constructing affordable housing. The funds will go towards constructing a mixed-use facility that will house two three-bedroom loft-style affordable apartments on the second floor for low-income families. In addition, a pizza shop and a fresh food market, selling healthy essentials such as fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and bread, will be constructed on the first floor.
$500,000 Breaking Barriers of Poverty to Build Better Futures
Installation of a new HVAC system, bathrooms, a two-stop freight elevator, a small lift to serve the two new areas with offset floors, and a new fire stairwell. These renovations will allow the Lancaster County Food Hub to accommodate more food inventory and open a 30-bed overnight emergency shelter for low-barrier individuals and expand essential daytime shelter and outreach services programs.
$1,000,000 Tenfold’s TLC Shelter Renovation Project
The five-story building’s 52-units house over 150-200 participants annually, including families with children, veterans, single men/women and couples. TLC’s 98-year-old elevator, utility infrastructure and other key systems are badly deteriorated and frequently require costly repairs. This project will help preserve and restore these shelter units.
$1,000,000 Community Center for Children, Families and Seniors
The funds will be used to renovate Price’s Elementary’s first floor, including classroom, hallway and bathroom renovations, as well as plumbing, electrical and mechanical upgrades. The renovated space will be used as a community center providing childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, as well as early childhood education programs for low-income families.
$400,000 Rev. Harvey H.B. & Kai Sparkman III Cultural Center
The funds will go toward installing a new HVAC system and replacing 93 windows throughout the facility.
$145,502 Shelter Safe
The funds will be used to install a new elevator to replace the outdated existing unit, which is no longer in use, to provide safe access up to the second level of the 3-floor building. In addition, an ADA unisex restroom and five double entry and four single entry security doors will be installed.
$350,000 Prince Street Community Hub
The funds will renovate a vacant 11,500 square-foot building into 18,900 square feet of useable housing that will serve as both a temporary shelter as well as crisis and transitional housing with on-site counseling and social services for those experiencing homelessness.
$250,000 Milburn Apartments
The funds will help reconstruct 607 Rockland St., which will include two apartments, each with two-bedrooms and 609 Rockland Street, which will consist of six studio apartments. Currently, the structures are two semi-detached building both 2.5 stories each that were fired damaged and are now still vacant and blighted. The completed project will provide additional housing to Lancaster City’s most at-risk population, individuals who are currently experiencing homelessness. Furthermore, the re-construction of the blighted properties aligns with Lancaster City’s Interim Housing Plan, which calls for the addition of 300 affordable housing units including studio apartments
The Statewide Local Share Account funding comes from the PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, which provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to support projects in the public interest within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.