Senators Specter and Casey Announce Senate Approval of Pennsylvania Housing and Economic Development Projects

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Funding Is Contained in the FY08 Consolidated Appropriations Bill

December 19, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Arlen Specter, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, and Bob Casey, the junior Senator from Pennsylvania, announced today the Senate has approved funding for several Pennsylvania housing and economic development projects. The projects are contained in the Fiscal Year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Bill.

“I am pleased my colleagues have agreed to provide federal funding to these projects which will revitalize and improve cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Specter. “Rehabilitation and construction of these sites has the potential to be a great impetus for future cultural and economic growth.”

“This money for housing projects is great news for Pennsylvania and I am grateful that my colleagues approved this funding,” said Senator Casey. “Affordable housing and community redevelopment is vitally important to the future of our communities across the Commonwealth.”

The bill will now be sent back to the House for approval and must be signed into law by the President of the United States before funding is final.

Pennsylvania housing and economic development projects in the bill include:

* $300,000 for the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation’s (ABDC) Entrepreneurial Institute, a joint venture with Pennsylvania State University’s Altoona campus, for a business incubator to commercialize new technologies, build new business opportunities, and create new jobs for the region.

* $137,200 for Our City Reading in Berks County to rehabilitate abandoned houses with the goal of rehabilitating 100 homes every year. Our City Reading provides quality homeownership opportunities to low-income families.

* $137,200 to Erie County for the construction of the Erie Technology Incubator at Gannon University. The facility will house and grow new businesses in the region.

* $196,000 for the City of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County for a structured parking garage to promote high density urban development.

* $137,200 to Mt. Airy USA in Philadelphia County for blight removal, development, and construction, as part of an urban renewal initiative in northwest Philadelphia.

* $137,200 to the City of Scranton in Lackawanna County for a housing and community space initiative, as part of its downtown revitalization effort. Funding will be used to rehabilitate the former Harriet Beecher Stowe School into apartments for low-income individuals.

* $196,980 for the City of Philadelphia’s Green City Initiative in Philadelphia County to clean up approximately 450,000 square feet of vacant land.

* $137,200 to the City of Bethlehem in Northampton County to support the redevelopment, renovation and construction of a South Bethlehem Workforce Training and Development Center at Northampton Community College.

* $137,200 to Providence Connections, Inc. in Allegheny County for the planning, renovation and redevelopment of the Providence Family Support Center which provides low-cost childcare.

* $137,200 to the Lutheran Settlement House in Philadelphia County for the planning, design, redevelopment and construction of a facility, which will include affordable housing.

Source: Senator Bob Casey