At its Oct. 21 meeting, the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners authorized staff to apply to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s (PHFA) FAIR (Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement) program and approved the county’s annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application.

Amy McKinney, director of the county Planning Office, told commissioners the FAIR program funds blight removal, housing rehabilitation and facade programs. McKinney said the county has secured FAIR funds repeatedly since 2018 and will work with the Lawrence County Redevelopment Authority and local community partners to administer awards. "PHFA has a funding round every year. It's called FAIR," McKinney said. She added that funds the county may pursue include Marcellus Shale-impact funds and real-estate transfer-tax funds that PHFA sometimes makes available.

On the CDBG application, McKinney said the county anticipates a total award of $613,245, to be allocated as follows: $257,849 for county-administered projects, $126,462 on behalf of Shenango Township, $103,555 on behalf of Union Township and $125,379 on behalf of the borough of Ellwood City. McKinney described the eligible projects as primarily housing rehabilitation and related administration; two applications the county pursued were found ineligible because they did not meet national-objective survey requirements.

Both resolutions — approving the FAIR application and the CDBG application and allocations — passed on voice/roll-call votes. McKinney said administration of several program elements will be handled by the Lawrence County Redevelopment Authority and that the county will distribute program information to all 27 municipalities.