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New Milford Getting $1.3 Million from Natural Gas Impact Fee

NEW MILFORD — A community in Susquehanna County has received some very good news to the tune of a million dollars. The quiet community of New Milford just...
new milford

NEW MILFORD -- A community in Susquehanna County has received some very good news to the tune of a million dollars.

The quiet community of New Milford just hit the jackpot, getting a windfall of $1.3 million. That money is coming from the impact fee on the natural gas industry.

Governor Tom Wolf says New Milford is among several areas getting money from the natural gas impact fee.

“Well it seems like an awful lot of money but I'm sure we can put it to good use here,” said Dave Kliewer.

“It’s a lot of money, but people can use it,” said Randy Lewis.

Karen Allen, the executive director of the Susquehanna County Housing Redevelopment Authority, says the plan is to build apartments for lower income senior citizens.

Those who may not qualify for subsidized housing because they fall in a higher income bracket.

“This would be six affordable housing units for seniors 55 and older and it would be a two bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen,” said Allen.

Those units will go on a one acre lot behind the already existing Creekside Apartments for senior citizens, also owned by the housing authority.

Lawrence White, the vice president of New Milford council, says the senior apartments, built two years ago, was a great improvement from the vacant factory that sat there.

“That was a big deal, we had a distressed property that was cleaned up and we have a beautiful senior living center down there and it's just been a great thing for our community,” said White.

Ironically while this bonus is coming from the gas industry, Allen says it's the gas industry driving the need for affordable housing with rent prices skyrocketing due to the influx of those here to work in natural gas.

“Here in Susquehanna County obviously our rentals have been impacted greatly through the gas industry workers, so this provides a tremendous housing option for our senior citizens,” said Allen.

While the time table for building those new apartments is still tentative, the housing authority say construction could start in the fall of 2016.

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