On Friday, Governor Tom Wolf announced the approval of $26.5 million in funding through the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) to promote community participation and collaborations among nonprofits, businesses and residents while producing outcomes that assist a distressed area or the low-income population in a neighborhood. The credits will support 197 community revitalization projects across the commonwealth.
“Since taking office, my administration has been focused on the needs of all Pennsylvanians—no matter where they live—by helping them build stronger communities, schools, and business climates,” said Gov. Wolf. “The Neighborhood Assistance Program demonstrates the value of public-private cooperation in ensuring the health of our communities, and the benefits that Pennsylvanians see through these partnerships.”
NAP encourages private sector investment into projects that will help improve distressed communities by providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems. NAP can be used for projects in categories including affordable housing, community services, crime prevention, education, job training, charitable food, blight, special population issues, veteran’s initiatives, and long-term community revitalization.
“Since taking office, my administration has been focused on the needs of all Pennsylvanians—no matter where they live—by helping them build stronger communities, schools, and business climates,” said Gov. Wolf. “The Neighborhood Assistance Program demonstrates the value of public-private cooperation in ensuring the health of our communities, and the benefits that Pennsylvanians see through these partnerships.”
NAP encourages private sector investment into projects that will help improve distressed communities by providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems. NAP can be used for projects in categories including affordable housing, community services, crime prevention, education, job training, charitable food, blight, special population issues, veteran’s initiatives, and long-term community revitalization.
Of those projects approved, the Geisinger Health Foundation was granted $375,000 to help construct a LIFE Geisinger Health Services facility to be integrated with an affordable rental housing development for seniors 62+ located in Minersville. This facility will be located in a 13,500 gross square foot commercial space on the second floor of the Miners Lofts development. The goal of a LIFE Geisinger facility is to enable frail older adults within a community to continue to live independently in their homes for as long as possible.
The LIFE Center will include the construction of medical office space, examination rooms, patient shower rooms, kitchen, and occupational rehabilitation area. The Miners Lofts development will complete the adaptive reuse of a former garment factory that has been vacant for over 50 years. At the end of the 13 month construction period, the rehabilitation of this five-story building will have created, in conjunction with a PHFA allocation of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, a garage servicing the entire building located on the first floor; 13,500 gross square feet of commercial space for LIFE Geisinger Health Services to have an independent facility to service the elderly population of this residential community, as well as the elderly population of Minersville Borough; and 30 senior (62+ in age) affordable rental housing units on the three subsequent floors. At the completion of this project, the LIFE Geisinger Health Services facility will create 50 new permanent jobs and will service the almost 1,100 seniors living within the Borough. Additionally, there will be 20-30 temporary construction jobs created by this project.