SHARON Council to aid in housing project

The housing units would provide shelter for up to two years for victims of abuse.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- City council will help a domestic abuse agency get state funds to build transitional housing for abused women and children.
Alternatives for Women: Advocacy, Resources and Education already operates a temporary emergency shelter in the city for victims of abuse, but people can only stay there for 30 days.
The Rev. Larry Haynes, acting executive director of AWARE, told council at a workshop Thursday that many of those victims then have nowhere to go and often wind up back in the abusive environment from which they fled.
Partnership: AWARE has set up a partnership with the Mercer County Community Action Agency to build two duplexes on Florence Street to provide housing for up to two years for victims coming out of the shelter, he said.
MCCAA would build and own the duplexes and AWARE would provide the counseling services the residents need.
The total project cost is $381,472. The two agencies are asking Sharon to be the grant applicant for a $148,613 state Department of Community and Economic Development grant to help finance it.
The state grant would be used as a match for federal grant funds that would cover the rest of the cost.
Council is expected to approve the plan at its regular meeting Wednesday.
Playgrounds: Council also plans to approve an application seeking a state recreation grant of $49,800 from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to improve two playgrounds -- Wengler Avenue and Jefferson Street.
The city will have to match the state grant.
The application comes out of a master recreation plan the city developed for its parks and playgrounds and is the first in a series of grants Sharon is expected to seek to upgrade and expand facilities.
A project breakdown shows $44,600 in work at Jefferson Street and $55,000 at Wengler Avenue.
It would involve replacing some old, unsafe playground equipment and adding new play equipment at both locations, said Robert Good, director of recreational planning for Pashek Associates of Pittsburgh, the city's consultant on the recreation plan.
Pashek will file the grant application on the city's behalf.
Equipment: Jefferson Avenue would get a special modular piece of play and climbing equipment suitable for use by children between the ages of 2 and 5, Good said.
Repair or replacement of a retaining wall at Wengler Avenue also is a major item, he added.
Installation of safety play surfaces beneath equipment at both playgrounds will be required. The grant application must be filed in Harrisburg by Oct. 31.