Politics & Government

State Funds for Community Development Coming to Conshohocken

The borough has been part of the state's "Small Communities" program for years.

While still waiting for confirmation on its available funds for 2011, Conshohocken had its Community Development Block Grant application hearing at the Borough Council meeting on June 15.

According to community development and zoning officer Christine Stetler, the borough is one of many small communities throughout the country that benefits from the program, which allocated county and state money for projects that benefit residents of lower to moderate income in the area.

“We can’t just do any project around town,” she said. “We have to be able to determine in some way the benefit the money would have to low-income individuals.”

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Stetler said that in years past, the borough has used the money for funding housing rehabs for owners of occupied properties, installation of curb ramps on borough-owned streets and for administration of projects.

“We’ve done 25 property rehabs and will be working on or completed seven more in 2011,” she said. “We’ve done 71 ramps at 25 intersections."

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Currently, the Stetler is planning to use some of the available funds for the inclusion of seven ramps at additional locations throughout the borough to establish a “continuous accessible route” to roadways and sidewalks.

“In 2010, we received $151,059 through the grant,” she said. “We have not yet determined the 2011 amount but we are anticipating a 16 percent reduction in funds, adjusted for the new population numbers from the census. We’re basing our planning on $127,526.”

The borough chose to opt out of participating in this grant on a county level, accepting money instead as part of the state’s “Small Communities Program,” due to the risk involved with allocating funds for improvement projects, Stetler said.

“The state money comes directly to us and stays in the borough where we don’t have to compete with other municipalities for money,” she said.

Under they county program, there is no guarantee that Conshohocken would be granted any funding.

“If we were to participate in the county program, we would be competing with every municipality in the program,” she said. “We would not be guaranteed any money. As part of the state’s program, we get an allocation every year, so the money comes to Conshohocken and stays in Conshohocken.”

Residents with ideas for ways to spend the money are encouraged to call the borough’s community development and zoning department.

A second meeting regarding the planning and proposal of ways to utilize the funds will be held once it is known how much money will be coming to the borough, Stetler said.


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