By Joseph Bell

Staff Writer

Prior to yesterday morning’s Elk County board of commissioners meeting, county officials met for a public hearing to discuss the HOME Investment Partnership Grant Program and the Elk County Housing Rehabilitation Program for the fiscal year 2009-2010.
According to Richard G. Gavazzi, Housing and Program Specialist for the Elk County Planning Department, the purpose of the hearing was to allow public input and citizen participation for the proposed use of HOME funding.
“We had to conduct a public meeting first and we were unsure with the state since (officials) initially informed us that we did not have to hold a public meeting,” Gavazzi said. “We went ahead with the resolution but we’ve now had the public meeting, but now it can be confirmed and can go into effect at this time.”
The grant program is state-appropriated and administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development under the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990.
Funds are appropriated through the county with the exception of Ridgway Borough and St. Marys as they appropriate their own HOME funds.
According to Gavazzi, Elk County’s HOME application for the fiscal year 2009-2010 would be for $500,000. Of that figure, $448,000 would be appropriated for direct project benefit to qualified low to moderate income households. $22,000 will be project delivery costs and the remaining $30,000 will be used for county administration of the grant.