NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
10 March 2004

HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM APPLICANTS SOUGHT BY CITY

Harrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced that the city of Harrisburg is again accepting applications from homeowners for participation in the city’s popular Home Improvement Program (HIP), which provides free grants for owner-occupied home improvements and upgrades to properties located along the city’s Capital Corridors.

Reed said the HIP Program benefits primarily elderly and low-income residential owner-occupants whose properties are in need of basic system repairs, Items such as roof repairs, heating plant and distribution systems, plumbing and electrical systems, and other basic home infrastructure items are all the focus of the program.

The Mayor said the city has restored hundreds of homes through the program, which was created by the city for use in Harrisburg but which has been copied by other communities across the nation.

“Preserving our existing owner-occupied housing stock is also a vital element of neighborhood renewal,” said Mayor Reed. “By interrupting or preventing a cycle of blight from setting in, we help to maintain the value of our housing stock as well as help keep residents in their own homes. Too often, the repairs a home may require will far exceed the owner’s ability to finance, especially if they are elderly and living on a fixed income.

“This is a significant program that addresses the issue of blight on many different levels. We keep responsible property owners in their homes, we reinvest in both the property and the blocks upon which they are located, we upgrade the appearance of housing stock which helps encourage additional private investment, and we prevent yet another property from being abandoned and turned into a blighting influence.

The Mayor said interested applicants should contact the city’s Department of Building and Housing Development at (717) 255.6480, for additional information on the Home Improvement Program or the city’s many other neighborhood renewal initiatives. More information can also be found on the city’s website at www.harrisburgpa.gov.

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