SC INDEPENDENT STAFF PHOTO/STACI WILSON
Demolition of the Hallstead School is underway to make room for the Susquehanna County Housing and Redevelopment Authority to construct three duplex-style buildings that will provide six affordable rental units for people age 55 and above. According the SCHRA website, initial plans call for the construction of two small ranch-style homes with a garage, with the hope to add additional buildings to reach the six units as funding becomes available. The Hallstead School demolition project received PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancements (PHARE) funding, which is administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and comes from Act 13 fees paid by natural gas drillers. Susquehanna County has received nearly $4.5 million of PHARE funds since the program started in 2012.
OMG…You got to be kidding..4.5 Million for 6 houses..(750,000.00 per house)…How stupid are You people.
That’s a total of $4.5M in PHARE funds SCHRA has received in the past 8 years – it is not cost for this one project.
Hmmm..So the prevailing thought is..There is no better use of the 4.5 M fees acquired for the depletion of Our County Natural Resources into the 21 st Century forward other than Housing? Tsk Tsk Tsk.
Municipalities and the county receive Act 13 revenue each year that is totally separate from the money the legislation sets aside for affordable housing through the PHARE program.
Here’s a link to more information about the PHARE program on the PA Housing Finance Agency (PFHA) website: https://www.phfa.org/legislation/act105.aspx
This is getting worse by the minute…cut to the chase..AND..The projected final cost for these 2 mansions with a garage?….IS?
Not for nothing…A totally legitimate question deserves a proper answer unless You live in the black hole they call Susquehanna County Pa….home of the alcoholic Nitwits
The Hallstead Affordable Housing project was awarded $995,000 in PHARE funding from the state for site work/construction of the blighted, former Hallstead School.
Inevitable I presume. But, it’s sad to see it happen. I started 1st grade there and was transferred to New Milford for the rest of the school year. I attend 2nd thru 6th grade in that building. My father had all his elementary and secondary school education in it and my Great Grandfather was it’s janitor for a period. Life is change and we must adapt.