Several Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, authorities have announced plans to demolish 19 blighted homes in New Castle, Ellwood City and Shenango Township, a report by the New Castle News says. County commissioners, the county planning office and the county redevelopment authority are teaming up with the goal to eliminate blight in the area.
The county applied to the Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency for funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement program, which is funded through Marcellus Shale, and will use state real estate transfer tax funds to cover costs.
The county identified properties to demolish through a survey the redevelopment authority sent to all municipalities earlier in 2017 that asked to identify homes in the area that could be considered for the program. Of the survey responses, 19 homes were picked—14 in New Castle, four in Ellwood City and two in Shenango Township.
The properties must also meet a certain set of criteria to be considered for demolition, the report says. The criteria include being in the county’s repository of properties on which taxes have not been paid in several years and were not sold in tax or free and clear sales; not having any liens against it; must be vacant and have code violations; must be totally abandoned; and cannot be rehabilitated.
The redevelopment authority says it is awarding New Castle $45,000 to demolish nine of the properties that met the criteria, the report says. The remaining five out of fourteen either still have liens or unexonerated taxes and fees.
Ninety-one thousand dollars of the county’s federal Community Development Block grant money has also become available for the project since its original use to fund a sewer project was pushed to the wayside.
The report says the exact cost of the demolitions is still unknown because the county is planning to advertise bids for a contractor. The county assessor’s office is also conducting an inventory of blighted properties in the county and will be mapping them for future projects.
No more results found. The county applied to the Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency for funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement program, which is funded through Marcellus Shale, and will use state real estate transfer tax funds to cover costs.
The county identified properties to demolish through a survey the redevelopment authority sent to all municipalities earlier in 2017 that asked to identify homes in the area that could be considered for the program. Of the survey responses, 19 homes were picked—14 in New Castle, four in Ellwood City and two in Shenango Township.
The properties must also meet a certain set of criteria to be considered for demolition, the report says. The criteria include being in the county’s repository of properties on which taxes have not been paid in several years and were not sold in tax or free and clear sales; not having any liens against it; must be vacant and have code violations; must be totally abandoned; and cannot be rehabilitated.
The redevelopment authority says it is awarding New Castle $45,000 to demolish nine of the properties that met the criteria, the report says. The remaining five out of fourteen either still have liens or unexonerated taxes and fees.
Ninety-one thousand dollars of the county’s federal Community Development Block grant money has also become available for the project since its original use to fund a sewer project was pushed to the wayside.
The report says the exact cost of the demolitions is still unknown because the county is planning to advertise bids for a contractor. The county assessor’s office is also conducting an inventory of blighted properties in the county and will be mapping them for future projects.