Union County Seeks $400K HOME Funds for Owner-Occupied Home Repairs

Union County will request the release of $400,000 in federal HOME Investment Partnership funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to support the Union County Housing Authority Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation project. The request, tied to ESA 20250131828 and the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 (NAHA), is scheduled for submission on or about February 2, 2026.

The funds are intended for scattered-site rehabilitation work across Union County. Anticipated activities include exterior repairs such as roofs, downspouts and gutters, windows, porches, steps, balconies, exterior doors and screen doors, fascia and soffits, exterior painting or siding, and sidewalks. Interior and systems work listed in the notice includes electrical system improvements, furnace and water heater replacement, plumbing repairs, bathroom improvements, interior doors, wall, ceiling and floor repair, interior painting, insulation, and weatherization. The scope also covers accessibility and safety items like handrails and guardrails, and lead-paint related work where required.

Union County officials specified that houses identified for the program generally will not receive more than $35,000 in HOME funding each. The funding cap and the scattered-site approach aim to spread limited federal resources to multiple owner-occupied homes rather than funding major renovations on a few properties.

An Environmental Review Record (ERR) for the project is on file at Union County, 103 South 2nd Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837-1903, and at SEDA-Council of Governments, 201 Furnace Road, Lewisburg, PA. The ERR may be examined or copied on weekdays from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. The public notice, issued January 23, established a public comment period on the ERR that is being accepted through January 30, 2026, and explains procedures for objections to release of funds as well as contact information for submitting comments or objections.

For Union County residents, the request represents a potential infusion of federal support for homeowners who need targeted repairs to maintain safe, habitable housing. Work such as electrical upgrades, furnace and water heater replacement, and lead-paint mitigation directly addresses health and safety risks that disproportionately affect older homes and low- to moderate-income owners. By focusing on owner-occupied units, the program seeks to keep long-term residents in their homes and maintain neighborhood stability.

Next steps include the county’s submission to DCED around February 2 and any state review and clearance processes that follow. Residents interested in the ERR or in submitting comments or objections should review the record at the Lewisburg offices during business hours before the January 30 deadline to ensure their concerns are on record. If the funds are released, the county will move toward awarding grants or assistance up to the stated per-house cap to carry out the planned repairs.