The Erie County Renaissance Block Program is a financial incentive-based program designed to address and reverse housing blight in Erie County.
Donor Name: Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA)
State: Pennsylvania
County: Erie County (PA)
Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants | Reimbursement
Deadline: 04/30/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The problems with deteriorating and code-deficient residential structures are well-documented and far-reaching. Several recent community planning efforts have recommended reducing blight as an economic development strategy including Emerge 2040, Erie Refocused, the Corry Neighborhood Initiative, A Citizen’s Action Guide to Blight, and the Erie County Housing Plan (a component of Erie County’s comprehensive plan). Properties in poor condition can reduce the market value of adjacent homes, in turn, discouraging other owners from making investments themselves thus starting or continuing a cycle of disinvestment.
The goals of the Erie County Renaissance Block Program are to:
- Remove housing blight and reverse deterioration in middle market neighborhoods.
- Incentivize and spur private investment
- Make neighborhoods and communities more walkable, safe, and attractive
- Increase market value of homes
- Improve the municipal tax base
- Support local contractors and suppliers.
There are three zones of improvement in every neighborhood:
The Erie County Renaissance Block Grant (RBG) is a matching grant program that makes funds available to improve the functionality and curb appeal of these three zones.
Funding Information
- A funding bucket of $400,000 for two years
- A maximum of $100,000 per application
- A maximum of $5,000 per property
- The grant requires a 1-1 cash match.
Grant Period
Grant contracts for Renaissance Block Grants funding shall be for a period of twenty-four (24) months.
Eligible Improvements
Eligible Improvements for Reimbursement include:
- Sidewalks, walkways, driveway aprons
- Landscaping, trees
- Doors and windows visible from the street; interior and exterior storm windows
- Soffits, gutters, & downspouts
- Exterior lighting (street & on private property)
- Porches, stairs, steps
- Painting, siding, shutters
- Chimney & masonry repair.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible participants include Erie County residential and mixed-use commercial property owners who are current in payment of local, county, and school taxes or fees.
- Applicant is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3), a municipal authority, or a municipality
- Applicant’s headquarters is located in Erie County
- Applicant is in good standing with the IRS and state and local taxing bodies
- Applicant is in good standing with ECGRA’s reporting requirements to date
- Applicant is making sole request on behalf of organization.
For more information, visit ECGRA.
