PITTSTON, Pa. — Joe Chacke and the Pittston Redevelopment Authority will be managing a $1 million grant from the state that will allow it to do limited home rehabilitation.
"(For) seniors and those with medical conditions that would be negatively impacted by COVID, in order for them to stay in their homes and not have to go to a congregate setting like a nursing home or a group home or something like that," Chacke explained.
People who meet specific criteria will soon be able to apply for assistance for home improvements that keep it up to code so they aren't forced out of living independently.
"The federal government identified this as one of the issues that COVID money could be spent on, so we identified as something that we're already doing. And our neighboring municipalities don't have a program, so we thought we would reach out to them and see if they'd be interested."
Once the program is up and running, residents in these 12 communities will be able to apply for financial help:
- Pittston,
- Pittston Township,
- West Pittston,
- Duryea,
- Dupont,
- Jenkins Township,
- Exeter,
- Avoca,
- Wyoming,
- Laflin,
- Hughestown,
- Taylor.
"We already have a program that we're modeling this after. We just need to, you know, get the details done and out there before we start putting it out there," said Chacke.
Chacke believes could happen within the next month.
"Anybody that's interested should contact us now to get on the list. And we'll follow up on the applications ready. And it's really for anybody that is a senior, that has a disability, or has a medical concern. They're eligible for this program. There are income qualifications. We'll have a pre-application. we'll be able to determine if you're eligible, and then we'll do a full application."
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