Redevelopment Authority Applicants for Housing Grants – Butler Eagle

The Butler County Redevelopment Authority is applying for a second federal grant to build “tiny homes” that can be rented to low-income single people.

County commissioners on Wednesday allowed the authority to apply for a $300,000 federal grant through the state Department of Community and Economic Development and agreed to provide $75,000 in matching funds from bond and mortgage recording fees, known as Act 137 funds.

Ed Mock, the authority’s CEO, said this grant will be combined with a $500,000 federal Home Program grant that the authority has already applied to fund the project.

The 300- to 400-square-foot homes will address “the significant shortage of single-family housing,” Mock said.

A parcel of land in Slippery Rock has been purchased for one of these homes, and additional lots are being sought in other communities including Cranberry Township, where Mock said there is a great need.

Also on Wednesday, commissioners authorized the authority to apply to DCED for another $500,000 federal home grant for owner-occupied home rehabilitation grants.

The authority applies for a grant from the owner-occupied rehabilitation program every year, Mock said. The new grant will make rehabilitation grants available to homeowners in Franklin Township, Karnes City, Petrolia and Chicora who meet income guidelines, he said.

Home improvement projects must address building code issues to qualify for grants, Mock said.

In an unrelated case, commissioners approved an amendment to the Property and Revenue Management Program contract that will eliminate $263,830 of what the county owes the contractor.

Attorney Julie Graham praised Mark Gordon, the county’s chief of economic development and planning, for negotiating the amendment with Tyler Technologies.

The county agreed to a contract with Tyler in 2017 for various programs and added the iasWorld Tax Billing and Collection program in June 2020, she said.

Through negotiations, Gordon convinced Tyler to void money owed to the county by iasWorld “for services that were billed, but not performed satisfactorily,” Graham said.

Tyler was unable to correct the problems and agreed to waive paying for the program, said Leslie Ochs, the commissioners’ chair.

The county did not pay Tyler the canceled funds from the contract and they will be removed from the bill.