Salisbury: $10,000 Municipal Assistance Program grant will help repurpose vacant properties

Rep. Abigail Salisbury September 13, 2023 | 11:03 AM

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 13 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury, D-Allegheny, announced today that a $10,000 Municipal Assistance Program grant was awarded to the borough of Churchill.

The funds will be utilized to update the borough’s zoning ordinances and pave the way for vacant industrial properties to be converted into new homes for local businesses, organizations and more.

“These buildings sit around without purpose day after day and are a missed economic and human service opportunity for the Churchill community,” Salisbury said. “This grant will not only help provide a cosmetic facelift for such properties, but new ventures will be able to move into these spaces and serve neighbors in a variety of impactful methods.”

Salisbury has introduced two pieces of legislation that seek to assist communities statewide in a similar vein. The first (H.B. 1163) would update current property law and allow communities to make blighted or abandoned properties subject to potential acquisition by land banks. Another (H.B. 1216) would create a Municipal Grant Assistance Program within the Department of Community and Economic Development. The program would provide municipalities with grant writing training and allow for professional grant writers to connect with municipalities to provide their services. Both bills have passed the House and are in the Senate for consideration.

The commonwealth in its entirety received nearly $500,000 in MAP grant funding.

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