State grants to benefit museum, housing rehab program
It’s easy to think that the coal patch town of Nemacolin in Greene County and a rustic museum on Rolling Meadows Road have nothing in common.
Well, think again.
Each is the beneficiary of state grant money that will go toward rehabilitating or demolishing houses in this Cumberland Township community, as well as enhancing the technology and archival capabilities at the Greene County Historical Society’s Museum in Franklin Township.
Last month, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency announced that a $525,000 grant was awarded to the county for a housing rehabilitation program.
State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson — who released details of the Nemacolin grant that will be used to rehab or demolish 35 houses, as well as announcing the award of a $4,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to the Greene County Historical Society — said the PHFA selected the Nemacolin project for funding through its Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement monies that come from Marcellus Shale impact fees.
Snyder said the Nemacolin Blight Remediation and Rehabilitation Project, led by the Greene County Redevelopment Authority, will use the state funds to acquire and either fix up and sell or demolish blighted structures. The project will also offer zero percent loans to homeowners for major systems repairs, replacements and energy efficiency upgrades.
“Those of us who’ve had the situation in Nemacolin on our radar are ecstatic about this news, which represents a major opportunity to help remove hazards and turn things around in that community,” Snyder said. “I’m especially pleased that existing homeowners will be able to get some help to improve their properties.”
Also, Snyder said the PHFA awarded $195,500 in PHARE/Marcellus Shale funds for the Greene County Homeless Prevention and Housing Stabilization Program.
That money will go for leasing an apartment for two years to act as emergency shelter, to hire a case worker who will coordinate services for residents of Parkview Knoll and other low-income households in need of homeless prevention assistance, and to provide rental payments for eight units in conjunction with homeless prevention and rapid rehousing efforts.
Although he doesn’t have the cash in hand yet, Eben Williams, director of the county’s historical society, said he knows exactly how that $4,000 will be used.
“We are going to update our computers because what we have now is old,” Williams said. “Generally, this grant will go toward a big technology push.”
Snyder said the Cultural and Historical Support Grant comes from a program designed to strengthen Pennsylvania’s museum community, by supporting general operations of eligible museums and official county historical societies not supported by other state agency funding programs.
“I’m once again grateful that the state is recognizing the importance of funding an entity in the 50th Legislative District,” Snyder said. “The historical society fills a vital role in our county, one that is deserving of the reinvestment of state dollars to help with its continued operation.”
Award amounts are determined using an equation based on a percentage of the eligible museum’s previous year’s operating budget, and the maximum any museum could receive is $50,000, Snyder said.
Statewide, the PHMC awarded almost $2 million in grants to 142 eligible museums and official county historical societies from 55 counties.