Feb 4, 2016 2 min read

Washington City Council on Thursday allocated $50,000 of Community Development Block Grants toward the Washington County rehabilitation program, allowing two city homeowners the opportunity to fix up their residences with a 10-year forgiveness loan.

In November, the previous administration voted to allocate $345,000 of CDBG money to a central business district bond payment, $150,000 for a city fire truck payment and $75,000 to code enforcement demolition.

But Rob Phillips, assistant community development director of Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington, appealed to council Monday to earmark a portion for the home rehab program.

“As a county, we have affordable housing goals with (the Department of Housing and Urban Development),” he said. “I’m asking you to reconsider how to allocate these funds.”

The program provides low- and moderate-income occupant homeowners with forgivable loans to fix housing problems and for energy conservation improvements. Eligible homeowners receive a maximum loan of $24,500.

If a homeowner remains in the home for at least 10 years, the loan is forgiven.

“Who wouldn’t say the rehab program is important? It protects the longevity of their housing stock and keeps people in their houses,” Phillips said.

About 50 city homeowners applied to the program. Phillips said they are selected on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Mayor Scott Putnam said, while demolition of blighted buildings remains a priority, the process is lengthy and no buildings are scheduled to be razed in the next few months, thus freeing up funds for home improvements.

“There’s no reason we shouldn’t be rehabbing,” he said.

The city has earmarked $25,000 for code enforcement demolition this year.

RACW has administered the rehab program since 1977, beginning with the five larger communities in the county: Washington, Monongahela, Canonsburg, Charleroi and Donora. In 1994, the program expanded to include all Washington County municipalities. More than 2,300 homeowners have participated.

In other business, council appointed the following people to the Citywide Development Corporation’s board of directors: Richard Cleveland, Marie Montecalvo, Richard Beck, Richard Mancini and Eva Chatterjer-Shutten. Council also appointed Dwayne Durham, George Robinson, John Antonelli and alternate Ray Natili to the civil service commission.

The next city council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 10 with the agenda meeting at 6 p.m. March 7.