HERMITAGE County's affordable housing trust recommends funding for 1 project

Two projects wanted the money for operational costs.
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The Mercer County Affordable Housing Trust board has recommended that only one of five housing projects seeking financial assistance from the trust be funded.
The board, meeting Tuesday, recommended that the Mercer County commissioners allocate $20,771 to Mercer County Community Action Agency, which plans to build three, single-family homes for ownership (two in Farrell and one in Sharon) and four rental units in Sharon for transitional housing.
The project has a total cost of $652,000.
The board put one application on hold, a $100,000 request from Southwest Gardens Economic Development Corp. in Farrell to help finance a homeownership plan for five houses in Farrell.
That project is awaiting word on state funding assistance through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency before the trust board will consider it.
Failed to meet requirements
Two other projects didn't meet the fund's criterion that limits operating costs to only 20 percent of any trust grant.
Alternatives for Women wanted $13,200 to help finance a plan to extend the stay for domestic abuse victims at its emergency care shelter from the current 30 days to a maximum of 60 days. Mercer County Housing Authority wanted $31,200 to help develop a program allowing people holding federal Section 8 housing rental vouchers to use those vouchers as mortgage payments to buy homes.
The fifth project application, a $32,500 request from Community Counseling Center of Mercer County to help buy and convert a Richmond Drive, Hermitage, house into a group home, wasn't considered. The center failed to get a letter of support from the city of Hermitage for its project as required by trust regulations.