May 9, 2007 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

The Uniontown Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday named Threshold Housing Development Inc. of Uniontown as the developer for 25 houses and townhouse that would be built in North Gallatin Avenue area if the authority receives a state revitalization grant. The authority is required to select a non-profit developer, such as Threshold, to build the houses and townhouses through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Association’s Home Ownership Choice Program, authority Executive Director Mark Yauger said.

Threshold would apply for grant for money to build the dwellings if the authority receives the $500,000 Core Communities Program grant it applied for through the state Department of Community and Economic Development, Yauger said.

The Core Communities grant would be used to acquire vacant and blighted properties and prepare the lots for construction of the 25 dwellings.

Threshold already owns about half of the targeted properties in the North Gallatin Avenue neighborhood.

Single-family houses and townhouses constructed through the program would be available to first-time homebuyers, Yauger said.

Yauger said Threshold was chosen as the developer because it has a great deal of experience in building and selling homes through first-time buyer programs.

The authority agreed to work with Threshold on a separate housing program.

Board members approved entering into an agreement with Threshold on a citywide “Rehab for Resale” program.

Using the unspent balance of a 2002 housing grant from the state, Yauger said, the authority will buy two houses and Threshold will rehabilitate the houses, which will then be sold to first-time buyers.

The houses have not yet been selected. Houses anywhere in the city are eligible.

Yauger said any proceeds from the sales will be returned to the program and used to rehab other houses.

“It’s a very good program,” Yauger said. “We’re so out of whack with rental properties. We’re trying to move back to home ownership.”

In other business Tuesday, which was the authority’s annual meeting, the board elected the current slate of officers to serve another year.

The dinner meeting was held at Meloni’s Restaurant in Uniontown.

John Oris was re-elected as chairman, Brian Ludy as vice-chairman, Muriel Lantz as secretary and John Ptak is treasurer and James Cunningham as assistant treasurer.

Mayor James Sileo and city councilmen Bob Cerjanec and Gary Crozier also attended.

Yauger said he appreciated the cooperation between the authority and city council.

“Thanks for everybody’s cooperation,” Yauger said. “It’s been a pretty big year. Next year’s going to be another big year.”