Authority receives grant to renovate low-income housing
Hours before Thursday's meeting, the Butler Redevelopment Authority learned it was awarded a $500,000 state grant for a complete rehabilitation of its low-income apartment building at 330 Virginia Ave.
The grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund requires a $20,000 match from the authority.
Grant documents are expected to be signed in the coming weeks, in time to possibly start the project this year, said Veronica Walker, authority acting executive director.
The three-story, six-unit brick building will get new kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing, electric service, porch roofs, doors, water heaters, flooring, LED lighting, drop ceilings, light switches, electric outlets and a new roof.
Two of the six apartments are occupied. Those tenants will be able to stay while the work is being done, Walker said.
She said the grant was one of three the authority applied to the PHFA for, and she will resubmit one of the applications in September.
Theater survey, grant
In unrelated business, authority members noted that the authority was not consulted about an effort to conduct a survey and possibly apply for a grant for the closed Penn Theater.
The Penn Theater Performance Company is running an online survey asking residents about the types of events they would like to see at the theater, and is working with the Butler County Chamber of Commerce to apply for a grant for the theater.
