Innamorato: State invests $500,000 in local projects, programs
Support ‘has never been as critical as it is today’ says local org
Rep. Sara Innamorato December 8, 2020 | 4:18 PM
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 8 – Even as she continues to call on Congress to speed COVID-19 aid to local communities, state Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Allegheny, today is pleased to announce that several local community organizations have been selected by the state to receive more than $500,000 in neighborhood assistance tax credits.
“This investment comes at a critical time for our communities,” Innamorato said. “While we continue to ask Congress to break its partisan gridlock and rush help to assist with the ongoing pandemic, this state funding will allow these organizations to build on their existing programs and to continue to address the long-term needs of our communities.”
By providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital, the state’s Neighborhood Assistance Program encourages private sector investment into communities to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems.
Locally, organizations awarded tax credits included:
- Lawrenceville Corp., $400,000 – To continue community programming to impact the overall health of the community.
- Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization, $75,000 – To help fund training and employment programs and a flood insurance reduction for businesses.
- Bloomfield-Garfield Corp., $33,750 – To help shore up the housing supply for low-income renters.
- Bloomfield Development Corp., $15,000 – To provide housing assistance for existing residents and begin working on a community land trust program for Bloomfield.
“This support has never been as critical as it is today, and I am not sure the words are there to really describe what this investment means to the people touched by the programs and projects it supports,” said Lauren Bryne Connelly, executive director of Lawrenceville Corp. “In these unprecedented times, our partnership with DCED and with our corporate partners gives us the necessary resources to address deep-rooted neighborhood issues that have only been further exacerbated by COVID-19.
“This partnership means that we can continue building affordable housing and keeping families in their homes, that we can support small businesses and our local schools, that we can ensure all have access to fresh and nutritious food, and that our built and physical environment is healthy, accessible, and safe.
“Without the support of the NAP, we would undoubtedly lose the capacity and the critical system working to ensure that all have access to the benefits of and opportunities within our growing community,” she continued. “Without this support, we would see the gap widening between those benefiting from the growth in our neighborhood and those left out, but with this, support we are able to confront and reverse those trends.”
"This award will support the efforts of multiple Sharpsburg community groups working to improve our residents' health and resiliency in the face of a changing economy and changing climate patterns,” said Brittany Reno, executive director of the Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization. “We're grateful for TriState Capital Bank supporting this meaningful work that will positively impact hundreds of Sharpsburgers; Governor Tom Wolf, Representative Sara Innamorato, and Senator Wayne Fontana for recognizing, amplifying and working to address Sharpsburg's complex needs; and our local partners and other community members for making these projects possible."
For a full list of programs and projects in southwestern Pennsylvania, follow this link.