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Countywide housing study on the table
WAYNESBURG - Greene County has a housing shortage, and figuring out what types of housing are needed is the first step in solving the issue, commissioners said Wednesday.
Commissioners will vote on a contract today with Third Sector Development of Monroeville to prepare a housing needs assessment.
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Third Sector will be paid about $59,000 to study housing issues in all areas of the county. Community Action Southwest will contribute about $22,000 toward the cost, and commissioners plan to seek federal and state grants to pay for the rest.
The county started a housing task force about six months ago. The group, made up of representatives from local banks, utilities, school districts and other community leaders, asked that the assessment be performed.
Housing needs also were mentioned in the county's comprehensive plan, which commissioners approved last year.
The process will take about nine months, and Third Sector should have a preliminary report by the end of July, said Luke Peterson, housing specialist for the county.
"The need stretches over a whole array of different housing," he said.
The needs also may vary significantly depending on the area of the county, Peterson added. Economic conditions, infrastructure and demographics of the existing population will affect what kinds of housing are needed.
Once Third Sector completes the assessment, county planners will use it to try to attract developers who are willing to build homes to satisfy the housing needs. Peterson said state financing in the form of grants, loans and tax credits may be available as an additional enticement.
In another matter, commissioners are expected to approve a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The county's adult probation department gets about $11,300 each year. The money pays for a portion of a probation officer's salary, and that allows the county to have a local intermediate punishment program for some criminal defendants.
Infrastructure : 3/9/2009
Were these not the same people that were thinking of directing Stimulus Money to a private college and to other none basic municipal needs. Sewer, Water, Police, Schools - pick any four. Here is an idea, read our Greene County Comprehensive Plan best yet; it is paid for.
