Housing Rehabilitation
ERA rehabilitated over 180 residential buildings in 2004 and 2005. Housing rehabilitation ranges from small projects (like installing a handicap ramp) to complete remodels, totaling tens of thousands of dollars. Rehabilitation of existing homes provides critical assistance to families in need, while also stabilizing housing stock in critical neighborhoods. Having Rehabilitation is also an important part of neighborhood revitalization strategies, such as the Central City Neighborhood Revitalization project, where 90 existing homes will be repaired as part of a multi-million dollar effort.
Housing rehabilitation work can be categorized as follows:
Emergency Assistance: ERA provides grants to income-qualified homeowners to address immediate threats to life and health. Emergency assistance has been used to replace furnaces in winter, repair frozen plumbing, and address imminent fire or electrical hazards.
General Rehabilitation: ERA provides grants and loans to income-qualified homeowners to repair basic building systems (such as roofs, electrical, plumbing, address lead-based paint hazards, and perform needed structural repairs.
General housing rehabilitation is targeted to the Community Development Impact Area, as defined by the City of Erie. Generally, that are is bounded by 26th Street North to the Waterfront, and Cranberry Street east to the Franklin Avenue/Bird Drive.
ERA does perform limited work on rental properties, mostly limited to lead hazard control and handicap accessibility work. General rehabilitation assistance is available for the second unit of owner-occupied duplexes, rental units operated by social services entities providing targeted programs, and upper floor renovation of mixed-use buildings in the downtown target area.
Handicap Accessibility: Grants are available to modify homes and apartments to meet the needs of handicap persons. Projects include ramp construction, bathroom and kitchen modification, and other work necessary to allow handicap persons to use their homes.
How to Apply:
Applications are currently being accepted for the following programs:
- Emergency Rehabilitation (City wide)
- Lead Hazard Control for Rental and Homeowners (CD Impact Area)
- General Rehabilitation (CD Impact Area)
- Accessibility Projects (City Wide)
Most programs require the tenant or owner-occupant to be income-qualified at 80% of median income. Quickly check your income against this chart to see if you qualify.
Applications may be obtained from Carole Balik or by calling 453-4505 during regular business hours.
Home | ERA Staff | ERA Board | Projects & Programs | Properties for Sale | Home Ownership | Working With the ERA | Links
917 State Street, Erie, Pennsylvania 16501 Phone: 814-453-4505; Fax: 814-454-6984