CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County has started its solicitation of applications for affordable housing projects. Projects will be funded by the county’s Affordable Housing Fund, according to Jodi Brennan, planning director.
Projects must increase the availability of quality, affordable housing either through sales or rentals to any county resident whose annual income is less than the median income of the county, she explained.
According to her, the county will consider funding for projects, which include:
- owner-occupied rehabilitation;
- rental rehabilitation;
- first-time homebuyers programs;
- housing counseling programs;
- emergency repairs programs;
- elderly, special needs and disabled housing;
- veterans housing;
- new home construction;
- land banks;
- transitional housing;
- homeless shelters;
- community stabilization programs;
- foreclosure prevention;
- emergency rental assistance; and
- bridge loans for rental housing development.
Brennan said affordable housing funds can be used to match federal, state and or local program funds for initiatives in Clearfield County. Eligible applicants include: municipal governments, housing and or redevelopment authorities or other related agencies, non-profits and or developers. “Individuals are not eligible,” she said. “We provide the funds to the agencies, which provide them to the individuals.”
A match is required, Brennan said. She pointed out that since the program started in 2012, approximately $234,500 has been awarded to fund local affordable housing projects. She said those funds have leveraged another $285,000 in match funds for a total local investment of $519,500.
Affordable Housing Program guidelines and applications are available upon request by contacting the Clearfield County Planning & Community Development Office. It is located at the county’s administrative office building at 212 E. Locust St. in Suite 128, Clearfield. The planning office can also be reached by phone at 814-765-5149.
All applications are due back to the Clearfield County Planning & Community Development Office by 4 p.m. Jan. 8, 2016.
